Apple: Difference between revisions

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*An upgradeable, swappable SSD in the 2024 Mac Mini - albeit you cannot swap these units between M4 and M4 Pro units due to the internal casing's design being different without much good reason.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sorrel |first=Charlie |date=2024-11-12 |title=All Hail the Return of Upgradeable Storage! Mac mini 2024 Teardown |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/104302/all-hail-the-return-of-upgradeable-storage-mac-mini-2024-teardown |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251116041530/https://www.ifixit.com/News/104302/all-hail-the-return-of-upgradeable-storage-mac-mini-2024-teardown |archive-date=2025-11-16 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=iFixit}}</ref>

*A battery removable with just a 9V battery in the 2024 iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iPhone 16 Plus Battery |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/120671 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018203540/https://support.apple.com/en-us/120671 |archive-date=2025-10-18 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=support.apple.com}}</ref>

Many of these items have sparked allegations of [[~~Malicious Compliance~~]] and being introduced purely to make stricter right for repair legislation appear unnecessary to legislators while not doing much to improve the situation for consumers.

Many of these items have sparked allegations of [[malicious compliance]] and being introduced purely to make stricter right for repair legislation appear unnecessary to legislators while not doing much to improve the situation for consumers.

For instance, pricing for parts on the [[Apple Self Service Repair|Self Service Repair]] store is virtually identical to having the part replaced by Apple themselves (including both the price of the part and labor)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganapini |first=Cristina |date=2022-12-06 |title=Apple’s self-repair programme is not the Right to Repair we need |url=https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209051628/https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-date=2026-02-09 |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Right to Repair Europe}}</ref>, alternate app installation options are limited to users in the EU, still require developers to be registered with Apple, have them approve the apps and in many cases paying them fees, and the upgradeable SSDs do not use common standards such as M.2 NVME. Unlike standard SSDs, they are also not always swappable between different models and require access to a second Apple computer to provision after installation.

For instance, pricing for parts on the [[Apple Self Service Repair|Self Service Repair]] store is virtually identical to having the part replaced by Apple themselves (including both the price of the part and labor)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganapini |first=Cristina |date=2022-12-06 |title=Apple’s self-repair programme is not the Right to Repair we need |url=https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209051628/https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-date=2026-02-09 |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Right to Repair Europe}}</ref>, alternate app installation options are limited to users in the EU, still [[Forced account|require developers to be registered]] with Apple, have them approve the apps and in many cases paying them fees, and the upgradeable SSDs do not use common standards such as M.2 NVME. Unlike standard SSDs, they are also not always swappable between different models and require access to a second Apple computer to provision after installation.

===Operating system downgrades===

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===Certified repair centers===

Certified Repair Centers have some limited access to Apple's proprietary backend (GSX2). GSX contains many tools necessary to repair devices such as diagnostic tools, calibration tools, parts catalog, and device repair history. GSX is only accessible to repair centers Apple deems certified. GSX does not stock parts for iPads. It does not allow the calibration of parts such as lid sensors for a device, if that device does not have an open repair and purchased parts.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY |url-status=live}}</ref> {{CitationNeeded|reason=add an archive and properly cite this}}The new iOS 18 calibration tool is very similar to Apple's ASU (GSX's diagnostic/calibration tool). Some videos of GSX can be found online. See: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY GSX - How to Gain GSX Apple Access - iOSGenius]

Certified Repair Centers have some limited access to Apple's proprietary backend (GSX2). GSX contains many tools necessary to repair devices such as diagnostic tools, calibration tools, parts catalog, and device repair history. GSX is only accessible to repair centers Apple deems certified. GSX does not stock parts for iPads. It does not allow the calibration of parts such as lid sensors for a device, if that device does not have an open repair and purchased parts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 Jan 2017 |title=GSX - How to Gain GSX Apple Access - iOSGenius |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY |url-status=live}}</ref> {{CitationNeeded|reason=add an archive and properly cite this}}The new iOS 18 calibration tool is very similar to Apple's ASU (GSX's diagnostic/calibration tool). Some videos of GSX can be found online. See: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY GSX - How to Gain GSX Apple Access - iOSGenius]

===Advertisements in first party apps===

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===Elon Musk Lawsuit===

In August of 2025, businessman [[Elon Musk]] accused Apple of engaging in anti-competitive practices by only allowing ~~their AI program OpenAI~~ to reach the top of the sales chart on Apple App Store. He announced his plan to sue Apple for this practice.<ref>{{cite web |last=Durden |first=Tyler |date=2025-08-12 |title=Musk Accuses Apple Of "Unequivocal Antitrust Violation" For Favoring OpenAI In App Store Rankings |url=https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251029051235/https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |archive-date=2025-10-29 |access-date=2025-08-14 |work=ZeroHedge}}</ref>

In August of 2025, businessman [[Elon Musk]] accused Apple of engaging in anti-competitive practices by only allowing OpenAI’s [[ChatGPT]] to reach the top of the sales chart on Apple App Store. He announced his plan to sue Apple for this practice.<ref>{{cite web |last=Durden |first=Tyler |date=2025-08-12 |title=Musk Accuses Apple Of "Unequivocal Antitrust Violation" For Favoring OpenAI In App Store Rankings |url=https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251029051235/https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |archive-date=2025-10-29 |access-date=2025-08-14 |work=ZeroHedge}}</ref>

===Greenwashing===

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Apple, like many companies, regularly emphasises how environmentally friendly their packaging is and highlight advancements in this area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple 2030 – We’ve reduced our emissions by over 60% |url=https://www.apple.com/environment/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250910014941/https://www.apple.com/environment/ |archive-date=2025-09-10 |access-date=2025-09-15 |website=Apple}}</ref>

This deliberately distracts from the fact that only a negligible fraction of the environmental footprint of an electronic device comes from the packaging, as it is made of ~~siginificant~~ amounts or rare earth minerals, metals and mined components and consuming vast amounts of energy, water and fuel in manufacturing and transport.

This deliberately distracts from the fact that only a negligible fraction of the environmental footprint of an electronic device comes from the packaging, as it is made of significant amounts or rare earth minerals, metals and mined components and consuming vast amounts of energy, water and fuel in manufacturing and transport.

Some of the environmental advancements touted by Apple could also be argued to be environmentally beneficial side effects of purely economic decisions aimed at maximizing profit, such as shipping iPhones without chargers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dragan |first=Lauren |date=2023-09-12 |title=iPhones No Longer Come With a Charger or Headphones. Here’s What to Get If You Need Them. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/iphone-12-charger-headphones-options/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250731104206/https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/iphone-12-charger-headphones-options/ |archive-date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

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Apple likely does not want the public to know about these processes, since security seems to be tight around the shredding process:<blockquote>In some cases, Apple hired outside security consultants to escort trucks to its recyclers and monitor the destruction process, which the tech giant could further analyze through data reports charting scrap weights and commodity yields to ensure the input matched the output.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Carr |first=Austin |date=2025-03-17 |title=Apple Drops Lawsuit Against Recycler in Mystery of Missing iPhones |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-03-17/apple-drops-lawsuit-against-recycler-in-mystery-of-missing-iphones |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829001416/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-03-17/apple-drops-lawsuit-against-recycler-in-mystery-of-missing-iphones |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=Bloomberg News}}</ref></blockquote>Apple later retreated the lawsuit,<ref name=":1" /> leading to speculation that it wanted to avoid having to disclose how many devices they are really having shredded.

====iPhone recycling robot ~~mostly a publicity stunt~~====

====iPhone recycling robot initiative====

The first iteration of Apple's iPhone recycling robot, designed for the iPhone 6, was never more than a publicity stunt, according to an article by Bloomberg:<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>Liam’s precision automation, however, proved a dead end. It could handle just one iPhone model, and not that well. If a device had corroded screws or sticky insides, the robot would glitch. A person familiar with the project estimates Liam could run for about 10 minutes without human intervention. Another person says Apple at times fed the robot still-functioning iPhones and, for media demos, cherry-picked cleaner units so it didn’t crash, suggesting Liam was geared more for promotion than scalability.</blockquote>The same article cites industry insider claiming that the new iteration of the robot is only able to recycle as many devices in a year as Apple sells in just 48 hours.<ref name=":0" /> Thus, it can be assumed that the vast majority of trade-in devices are simply shredded.

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 *An upgradeable, swappable SSD in the 2024 Mac Mini - albeit you cannot swap these units between M4 and M4 Pro units due to the internal casing's design being different without much good reason.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sorrel |first=Charlie |date=2024-11-12 |title=All Hail the Return of Upgradeable Storage! Mac mini 2024 Teardown |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/104302/all-hail-the-return-of-upgradeable-storage-mac-mini-2024-teardown |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251116041530/https://www.ifixit.com/News/104302/all-hail-the-return-of-upgradeable-storage-mac-mini-2024-teardown |archive-date=2025-11-16 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=iFixit}}</ref>
 *A battery removable with just a 9V battery in the 2024 iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iPhone 16 Plus Battery |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/120671 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018203540/https://support.apple.com/en-us/120671 |archive-date=2025-10-18 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=support.apple.com}}</ref>
-Many of these items have sparked allegations of [[Malicious Compliance]] and being introduced purely to make stricter right for repair legislation appear unnecessary to legislators while not doing much to improve the situation for consumers. <!-- woah there with the accusatory tone -->
+Many of these items have sparked allegations of [[malicious compliance]] and being introduced purely to make stricter right for repair legislation appear unnecessary to legislators while not doing much to improve the situation for consumers. <!-- woah there with the accusatory tone -->
-For instance, pricing for parts on the [[Apple Self Service Repair|Self Service Repair]] store is virtually identical to having the part replaced by Apple themselves (including both the price of the part and labor)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganapini |first=Cristina |date=2022-12-06 |title=Apple’s self-repair programme is not the Right to Repair we need |url=https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209051628/https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-date=2026-02-09 |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Right to Repair Europe}}</ref>, alternate app installation options are limited to users in the EU, still require developers to be registered with Apple, have them approve the apps and in many cases paying them fees, and the upgradeable SSDs do not use common standards such as M.2 NVME. Unlike standard SSDs, they are also not always swappable between different models and require access to a second Apple computer to provision after installation.
+For instance, pricing for parts on the [[Apple Self Service Repair|Self Service Repair]] store is virtually identical to having the part replaced by Apple themselves (including both the price of the part and labor)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganapini |first=Cristina |date=2022-12-06 |title=Apple’s self-repair programme is not the Right to Repair we need |url=https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209051628/https://repair.eu/news/apples-self-repair-programme-is-not-the-right-to-repair-we-need/ |archive-date=2026-02-09 |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Right to Repair Europe}}</ref>, alternate app installation options are limited to users in the EU, still [[Forced account|require developers to be registered]] with Apple, have them approve the apps and in many cases paying them fees, and the upgradeable SSDs do not use common standards such as M.2 NVME. Unlike standard SSDs, they are also not always swappable between different models and require access to a second Apple computer to provision after installation.
 ===Operating system downgrades===
@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 ===Certified repair centers===
-Certified Repair Centers have some limited access to Apple's proprietary backend (GSX2). GSX contains many tools necessary to repair devices such as diagnostic tools, calibration tools, parts catalog, and device repair history. GSX is only accessible to repair centers Apple deems certified. GSX does not stock parts for iPads. It does not allow the calibration of parts such as lid sensors for a device, if that device does not have an open repair and purchased parts.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY |url-status=live}}</ref> {{CitationNeeded|reason=add an archive and properly cite this}}The new iOS 18 calibration tool is very similar to Apple's ASU (GSX's diagnostic/calibration tool). Some videos of GSX can be found online. See: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY GSX - How to Gain GSX Apple Access - iOSGenius]
+Certified Repair Centers have some limited access to Apple's proprietary backend (GSX2). GSX contains many tools necessary to repair devices such as diagnostic tools, calibration tools, parts catalog, and device repair history. GSX is only accessible to repair centers Apple deems certified. GSX does not stock parts for iPads. It does not allow the calibration of parts such as lid sensors for a device, if that device does not have an open repair and purchased parts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 Jan 2017 |title=GSX - How to Gain GSX Apple Access - iOSGenius |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY |url-status=live}}</ref> {{CitationNeeded|reason=add an archive and properly cite this}}The new iOS 18 calibration tool is very similar to Apple's ASU (GSX's diagnostic/calibration tool). Some videos of GSX can be found online. See: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8bS1AgxcY GSX - How to Gain GSX Apple Access - iOSGenius]
 ===Advertisements in first party apps===
@@ Line 130: / Line 130: @@
 ===Elon Musk Lawsuit===
-In August of 2025, businessman [[Elon Musk]] accused Apple of engaging in anti-competitive practices by only allowing their AI program OpenAI to reach the top of the sales chart on Apple App Store. He announced his plan to sue Apple for this practice.<ref>{{cite web |last=Durden |first=Tyler |date=2025-08-12 |title=Musk Accuses Apple Of "Unequivocal Antitrust Violation" For Favoring OpenAI In App Store Rankings |url=https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251029051235/https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |archive-date=2025-10-29 |access-date=2025-08-14 |work=ZeroHedge}}</ref> <!-- Tyler Durden delivering punches with words instead of fists is truly something. -->
+In August of 2025, businessman [[Elon Musk]] accused Apple of engaging in anti-competitive practices by only allowing OpenAI’s [[ChatGPT]] to reach the top of the sales chart on Apple App Store. He announced his plan to sue Apple for this practice.<ref>{{cite web |last=Durden |first=Tyler |date=2025-08-12 |title=Musk Accuses Apple Of "Unequivocal Antitrust Violation" For Favoring OpenAI In App Store Rankings |url=https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251029051235/https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/musk-accuses-apple-unequivocal-antitrust-violation-favoring-openai-app-store-rankings |archive-date=2025-10-29 |access-date=2025-08-14 |work=ZeroHedge}}</ref> <!-- Tyler Durden delivering punches with words instead of fists is truly something. -->
 ===Greenwashing<!-- This section needs more work and more sources. It might also make sense to move it to a page of its own -->===
@@ Line 148: / Line 148: @@
 Apple, like many companies, regularly emphasises how environmentally friendly their packaging is and highlight advancements in this area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple 2030 – We’ve reduced our emissions by over 60% |url=https://www.apple.com/environment/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250910014941/https://www.apple.com/environment/ |archive-date=2025-09-10 |access-date=2025-09-15 |website=Apple}}</ref>
-This deliberately distracts from the fact that only a negligible fraction of the environmental footprint of an electronic device comes from the packaging, as it is made of siginificant amounts or rare earth minerals, metals and mined components and consuming vast amounts of energy, water and fuel in manufacturing and transport.
+This deliberately distracts from the fact that only a negligible fraction of the environmental footprint of an electronic device comes from the packaging, as it is made of significant amounts or rare earth minerals, metals and mined components and consuming vast amounts of energy, water and fuel in manufacturing and transport.
 Some of the environmental advancements touted by Apple could also be argued to be environmentally beneficial side effects of purely economic decisions aimed at maximizing profit, such as shipping iPhones without chargers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dragan |first=Lauren |date=2023-09-12 |title=iPhones No Longer Come With a Charger or Headphones. Here’s What to Get If You Need Them. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/iphone-12-charger-headphones-options/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250731104206/https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/iphone-12-charger-headphones-options/ |archive-date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>
@@ Line 159: / Line 159: @@
 Apple likely does not want the public to know about these processes, since security seems to be tight around the shredding process:<blockquote>In some cases, Apple hired outside security consultants to escort trucks to its recyclers and monitor the destruction process, which the tech giant could further analyze through data reports charting scrap weights and commodity yields to ensure the input matched the output.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Carr |first=Austin |date=2025-03-17 |title=Apple Drops Lawsuit Against Recycler in Mystery of Missing iPhones |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-03-17/apple-drops-lawsuit-against-recycler-in-mystery-of-missing-iphones |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829001416/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-03-17/apple-drops-lawsuit-against-recycler-in-mystery-of-missing-iphones |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=Bloomberg News}}</ref></blockquote>Apple later retreated the lawsuit,<ref name=":1" /> leading to speculation that it wanted to avoid having to disclose how many devices they are really having shredded. <!-- uh-oh, you can't accuse them like that on a wiki page!!1 (Wiki English: please rewrite according to Editorial Guidelines) -->
-====iPhone recycling robot mostly a publicity stunt====
+====iPhone recycling robot initiative====
 The first iteration of Apple's iPhone recycling robot, designed for the iPhone 6, was never more than a publicity stunt, according to an article by Bloomberg:<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>Liam’s precision automation, however, proved a dead end. It could handle just one iPhone model, and not that well. If a device had corroded screws or sticky insides, the robot would glitch. A person familiar with the project estimates Liam could run for about 10 minutes without human intervention. Another person says Apple at times fed the robot still-functioning iPhones and, for media demos, cherry-picked cleaner units so it didn’t crash, suggesting Liam was geared more for promotion than scalability.</blockquote>The same article cites industry insider claiming that the new iteration of the robot is only able to recycle as many devices in a year as Apple sells in just 48 hours.<ref name=":0" /> <!-- < archive.today is deprecated. web.archive mysteriously has a lot of "cannot render article" snaps, but it's visible for fractions of a second  -->Thus, it can be assumed that the vast majority of trade-in devices are simply shredded.