What about their glued together, unrepairable hardware?
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Apple and Belkin Reducing Environmental Impact of Packaging With iPhone 13 Launch
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I make no such assertions. I'm just saying that the plastic you are talking about is probably unchanged. That problem very likely remains the same problem that it was yesterday. That doesn't make reducing packaging any worse though.
It's a little bit like cities and towns banning plastic straws. Are plastic straws really the problem? Not even the tip of the iceberg. But it's hard to argue for more plastic instead of less, no matter how much/little less we are talking about. Since there was mention of plastic in the oceans, something like 70% is apparently from fishing. People just get more emotional about the sea turtle with the straw in its nose, and so movements are born.
To be clear, I think banning straws is an overall good idea from a plastic waste standpoint. As do I believe reducing plastic in shipping of iPhones is. But I think it alters the focus into the wrong things. It makes the consumer feel good. And potentially even pushed them to buy products they otherwise wouldn't have and then... maybe they're not being as green as their bleeding hearts let them believe.
And I'm not sure how I can be clearer how that's not hypocrisy. I mean, they're obviously not going to close up shop to reduce their environmental impact to zero, and even if they went to introducing an iPhone every other year instead of yearly, some people would then say it should be every third year if they were "truly" concerned, etc. There's always going to be a degree of environmental impact with any company that produces hardware - it's not all or nothing. So I don't think the concept of "hypocrisy" even makes sense in this context. They're simply reducing their environmental impact while continuing to produce in a way that's proven very profitable for them.
You were really the one that used the term and I just went with it. I'm literally not suggesting they don't make a new iPhone every year, so I'm genuinely unsure if you're understanding the basis of my argument or not (forgive me I'm not trying to be rude).
I'm not suggesting they close up shop. I'm suggesting that having a program that incentivize the consumer to buy a new phone (if 9 to 5 Mac is to be believed, 36% of their user base is on this program) all while citing how environmentally forward you are... doesn't sit right with me. I'm referring to the iPhone upgrade program where you effectively pay your monthly fee and get a new iPhone every 12 months. That program is the antithesis of "green". This program literally gives you a reason you didn't have before to keep opening a new phone from Apple yearly.
If you don't agree, that's fine. For the record, the cigarette company example I gave isn't hypocrisy either. It's marketing. They're doing a thing and letting people know they're doing a thing because they want you to buy their product. They want you to feel good about that thing. I don't think it has to be, nor is, any more complex than that.
If it helps, we can talk about the food industry too, with the ever changing "low fat" to "no trans fat" to xyz labels they churn out over the years. None of those labels are lies, but al other are is marketing, attempting to get your, the buyer's, attention. I'm simply calling it what it is. Is it hypocrisy that nabisco doesn't actually have my health in mind? I'd argue that it isn't at all. They're just selling to me in a way that resonated with the time.
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I have used the boxes as drawer organizers and the like in lieu of cheap plastic containers largely because they are heavy and last years. I have yet to need to replace any and a 1x purchase every couple of years doesn't really clutter the house. YMMV
Seems like lack of recycling in many places is the issue. Most places just ship it to other countries to deal with it and that can mean anything from landfills, burning or dumping it someplace else. Only a fraction if not less is actually recycled. Don’t get me wrong it’s fine and dandy that Apple is doing this but in the grand scheme of things it changes nothing. It’s the illusion of a feel good for consumers who take pride and trouble to recycle only for their respective cities to do little if not nothing with it.
It’s like the entire consumer base for iPhones spitting in the ocean, sure it’s polluting but would make no difference if there is a factory pumping more waste into those waters every second.
I forgot to mention why not take it a step further and use recycled packaging without colours on the packaging which just adds to the pollution issue.
IMO single use containers (of all sorts) are the real issue. But that's probably for another thread.
If Apple really wants to minimize environmental impact then make all devices charge with USB-C.
I don't see it as hypocrisy, based on the assumption that the iPhones traded in this way are refurbished and resold on the gray market, rather than simply being scrapped and ending up as landfill. It's helping to sell more iPhones to more people, at the end of the day.
This article offers more insight.
The Increasing Importance of Apple’s iPhone Trade-in Program
techpinions.com
I used the term because that's exactly what you were saying (without using the actual term):
And your cigarette company analogy confirmed this further:
So you're ok with Apple producing new iPhones each year, but not ok with them wanting a lot of people to buy them (or trade up for them) each year? That makes no sense.
Once again (and this will be my final comment on this as I can see we're getting nowhere), Apple's goal here is not to change their sales strategy to reduce iPhone sales/trade-ups (would be a stupid move for a business and irresponsible to the shareholders), but rather to reduce their environmental impact while continuing to do what they've been doing. I see absolutely zero room to criticize here.
I'll leave it at that.
At this point I feel like you're trying to shoe horn a definition where there isn't one, maybe even get me to say something I don't feel, and I'm genuinely unsure why. If you wanted the last word, that's fine too, but you were the one who initially responded to me, so I felt somewhat obligated to keep the conversation going. Maybe we wasted each other's time here. If so... sorry.
I don't think that reducing waste is their primary goal here. I think profit is. And that's fine. I'm just not going to pretend otherwise. Using less materials to generate the same or more profit is an excellent business strategy by all accounts AND marketing it as waste reduction is also, because that's what people want to hear right now. Is that hypocrisy? No. I'm using less material to make more money AND selling you on the fact that I'm greener than I was yesterday.
My concern has always (not just today, reading this article) been with the early upgrade program (which happened to launch in the US right around the time carriers stripped doing contracts, if I recall correctly), because it has always been an Avenue to get people to justify more purchases, namely those they wouldn't otherwise make. You can be happy, sad, mad, indifferent that I feel that way, but it is how I feel. A marketing strategy that gets people to consume things they don't need isn't a green marketing stray, and I'm pointing that out.
If their primary goal as a company is greatly reducing waste, they can change that marketing. But it's not the primary goal. They don't claim it's their primary goal. But I'm also not obligated to give accolades for a change that feels completely business driven. It's just business doing what business does. Getting you to justify buying more of their stuff.
If, after all this, you still think the reason I entered this thread was to tell world (more correctly just macrumors) I think Apple is a hypocritical company, I guess you can have it. I think there are plenty of more positively environmentally impactful things they can do to reduce their footprint on the environment *if that ever becomes a primary goal*, but as a business they aren't obligated to do anything more than what's required by law. As a business they are beholden only to their shareholders and their only obligation is to get you to buy their next phone, however they might help you justify it. And if you can feel good about the decision because you aren't throwing away a wrapper, all the better.
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Wonder when Apple will stop forcing customers to purchase an Apple Watch strap with their Apple watches… most of the time these are just unnecessary for me with the masses of bands I already own.
I think Apple should charge for the Watch face and then you select what band you would like or no band at all.
The watch could literally come in a box the size of the iPod shuffles from years ago, reducing packaging massively.
I think Apple should charge for the Watch face and then you select what band you would like or no band at all.
The watch could literally come in a box the size of the iPod shuffles from years ago, reducing packaging massively.
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I actually suggested this on here way back around series 2 launch, I want to say, and got mostly negative feedback. People felt nobody would buy a watch without a band.
At this point, it's pretty clear they're invested in backward compatibility of bands. So I agree with your even more than I did back then. The thing is they probably wouldn't even have to drop the price of the product, site that everyone already has bands anyway, and let people feel better about their next upgrade because they aren't tossing yet another strap in their drawer.
Agreed. Imagine the environmental impact of one years worth of iPhone production. But hey… we just saved some plastic. 😆
Looks like Apple is a good tutor 
No one really knows if they are recycled.... Apple seems to think so. Many plastics are in fact not recycled at all even those they state 'Recycle" logo on the packaging, so why would i believe Apple?
Many people at the dump just ignore it anyway . This is why i always reckon Canada's idea is good.. Take it to your local place yourself, and get paid in cash for it. Eliminates the middle man.. as YOU actually watch it sort.,
No one really knows if they are recycled.... Apple seems to think so. Many plastics are in fact not recycled at all even those they state 'Recycle" logo on the packaging, so why would i believe Apple?
Many people at the dump just ignore it anyway . This is why i always reckon Canada's idea is good.. Take it to your local place yourself, and get paid in cash for it. Eliminates the middle man.. as YOU actually watch it sort.,
Just imagine apple actually start caring of the environment and start building their devices on the way they can be fixed.
Not sure how I forgot that seeing as I have a 12 pro lol. Guess I ripped it off and threw it away so quick I forgot.
Products manufactured in China, the biggest polluter on the planet. If Apple REALLY cared about the environment, they would cut all ties with China and bring the manufacturing to the US where they can use clean energy. We all know that will never, ever happen. Apple loves their profit margins too much to employ American workers.