Actually, yes. Screws are harder to apply correctly than glue, regardless of whether it's a human or a robot doing the task. One glue strip is cheaper than a dozen or more screws. Machining screw holes and tensioning screws requires more quality-control. A robot capable of affixing multiple screws at one time is a more complex device to build and maintain, a robot that sequentially fastens a series of screws more complex to program, with slower throughput. Further, screws can come loose in transit, while glue is far more vibration-resistant. Hence, fewer defects, lower initial warranty claims. Back when I was taking broadcast and recording gear out on the road, I appreciated the equipment that had Loc-Tite applied to each screw (until it came time to open it up). As a carpenter would say, both screwed and glued.
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Greenpeace Combats Planned Obsolescence in New Repairability Campaign, iPad and MacBook Score Low
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Actually, yes. Screws are harder to apply correctly than glue, regardless of whether it's a human or a robot doing the task. One glue strip is cheaper than a dozen or more screws. Machining screw holes and tensioning screws requires more quality-control. A robot capable of affixing multiple screws at one time is a more complex device to build and maintain, a robot that sequentially fastens a series of screws more complex to program, with slower throughput. Further, screws can come loose in transit, while glue is far more vibration-resistant. Hence, fewer defects, lower initial warranty claims. Back when I was taking broadcast and recording gear out on the road, I appreciated the equipment that had Loc-Tite applied to each screw (until it came time to open it up). As a carpenter would say, both screwed and glued.
I'm not seeing how any of these metrics have an impact on how "green" a product is. The reason is that even if the battery, screen, and everything else is user replaceable, where would those discarded, useless components go? Likely, in the trash can and to a landfill where they can leech into the local water table.
Instead, Apple builds products with a long usable life. Half of our users (we build an iPad app) still use an iPad 2! That's a technology that has a six year usable lifespan! For technology, that's pretty amazing and Apple continues to support most older products. Keep in mind that technology is always advancing and older hardware may not be able to do the latest tricks. People are upgrading their iPad 2 to get the latest speed, capability, and lower price point on the new iPad – not due to planned obsolesce.
When a user upgrades their device, they are more likely to do it as a whole and sell or return the original product (or continue to keep it). If it goes back to Apple, they recycle it. So the end result is a better than replacing and throwing away used components. The net result should be praised by Greenpeace. But then again, complaining about Apple seems to be the only way these organizations can get attention.
Instead, Apple builds products with a long usable life. Half of our users (we build an iPad app) still use an iPad 2! That's a technology that has a six year usable lifespan! For technology, that's pretty amazing and Apple continues to support most older products. Keep in mind that technology is always advancing and older hardware may not be able to do the latest tricks. People are upgrading their iPad 2 to get the latest speed, capability, and lower price point on the new iPad – not due to planned obsolesce.
When a user upgrades their device, they are more likely to do it as a whole and sell or return the original product (or continue to keep it). If it goes back to Apple, they recycle it. So the end result is a better than replacing and throwing away used components. The net result should be praised by Greenpeace. But then again, complaining about Apple seems to be the only way these organizations can get attention.
Except that Apple is making it more and more difficult for 3rd parties to repair their equipment - through physical means : glue evwrything rather than screws and supply chain: refusing to allow pruchase of parts at reasonable prices (for example the markup on Apple's battery replacement is *huge* compared to the price of the cells).
Which means that many people upgrade their entire phone, when the battery replacement cost by Apple is 25% of the cost of a new phone (and if you look at the BOM you see that the battery costs Apple about 6 USD in quantity)
Would be equivalent Ford only allowing their official dealer to do an oil change, and an oil filter costing 150 USD...
Both of which are consumer (and environment) unfriendly.
