Category: Phones

Key Takeaways

1. All smartphones and tablets sold in the EU must now display energy labels, similar to household appliances.
2. A total of 603 devices have received energy labels, with 142 achieving the top “A” rating; none are Apple products.
3. The iPhone 16 Pro received a “B” rating, while most iPad models received a “G” rating, reflecting poor durability and lack of waterproof features.
4. Apple has criticized the EU’s testing standards, claiming their products should have received higher ratings due to ambiguous specifications.
5. The EU’s testing criteria are seen as vague, allowing for varied interpretations that can significantly affect product ratings.

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Since June 20, all smartphones and tablets that are sold in the European Union must now have an energy label that is attached to them. This is similar to what is done with household appliances, and all retailers, including online stores, are required to display these labels. As we mentioned earlier, a total of 603 smartphones and tablets have received energy labels, with 142 of them achieving the top rating of “A.” However, none of these top ratings have gone to any Apple products.

Ratings Overview

The iPhone 16 Pro has managed to secure a “B” rating, but most of the iPad models have only earned a “G” rating, which is the worst possible rating as per EU standards. When comparing the ratings between the iPhone and iPad, it’s clear that the iPad suffers due to its poor durability and lack of waterproof features. The current iPad Pro has a repairability rating of “C,” which is considered rather generous when you look at the teardown from iFixit. Additionally, there’s a deduction in ratings due to Apple’s lack of guarantees for software updates.

Apple’s Response

In light of the EU Energy Label’s introduction, Apple has released a 44-page document that explains its testing methods and criticizes the specifications set by the European Union. Apple claims that their test results should have allowed the iPhone 16 Pro to receive a higher rating in both energy efficiency and drop resistance. However, due to ambiguities in the EU’s testing standards, Apple chose to lower its ratings by one level in these areas.

This situation highlights a key issue with the EU Energy Label: manufacturers conduct the tests themselves, and the EU only checks a few of them. Apple’s main concern is that the specifications can be unclear and open to different interpretations, which can lead to varied testing methods and ratings across different brands. This is not unusual for the EU, as these specifications are labeled as “preliminary” and are expected to be revised as more data and feedback from manufacturers come in.

Vague Specifications

Moreover, Apple points out that some specifications are so unclear that they hardly make any sense at all. For instance, the rating for how well a product withstands drops can be inflated by as much as three levels, depending on how the test parameters are understood. The EU mandates a drop onto a steel plate but fails to specify the hardness or texture of that surface, both of which could drastically affect the results. Additionally, only five drops are required for testing, which, according to Apple, is not enough to yield reliable outcomes.

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