iPhone: Apple increases the repairability index of its smartphones

Apple has just revised upwards the repairability index of most of its iPhones. A few months after the last update, the Californian group added several points to some of its smartphones.

In January 2021, the repairability index entered into force in France. Mandatory for tech products such as smartphones, this score out of 10 makes it possible to determine at a glance the sustainability of a purchase in time. The index aims to fight against planned obsolescence and preserve the environment by limiting electronic waste.

Smartphone brands have been forced to comply with the exercise. This is particularly the case of Apple, which was one of the first to reveal the repairability index of all its products. A year later, the Californian giant has upgraded the rating of most of its iPhones on the occasion of the release of the iPhone SE 5G.

Check out the new iPhone repairability ratings

On its official website, Apple has a page dedicated to “repairability indices provided for by the French law relating to the circular economy”. The brand periodically reviews the ratings assigned to its terminals. The last update dates from August 2021. Here are the new notes provided by Apple:

• iPhone SE 5G: 6.4/10
• iPhone SE 2020: 6.2/10 -6/10
• iPhone 13: 6.1/10 – 6.4/10
• iPhone 13 mini: 6.2/10 – 6.4/10
• iPhone 13 Pro: 6.2/10 – 6.8/10
• iPhone 13 Pro Max: 6.1/10 – 6.7/10
• iPhone 12: 6/10- 6.6/10
• iPhone 12 mini: 6/10- 6.6/10
• iPhone 12 Pro: 6/10 – 6.9/10
• iPhone 12 Pro Max: 6/10 – 6.9/10
• iPhone 11: 4.6/10- 6.7/10
• iPhone 11 Pro: 4.6/10- 7/10
• iPhone 11 Pro Max: 4.5/10- 7/10
• iPhone XR: 4.5/10- 6.3/10
• iPhone XS: 4.7/10- 7/10
• iPhone XS Max: 4.6/10 – 6.9/10
• iPhone 8: 6.6/10- 6.5/10
• iPhone 8 Plus: 6.6/10- 6.5/10
• iPhone X: 4.8/10
• iPhone 7: 6.7/10- 6.5/10
• iPhone 7 Plus: 6.6/10- 6.4/10

Only a few models see their repairability rating plummet. This is the case of the second generation iPhone SE, iPhone 8/8 Plus and iPhone 7/7 Plus. On the other hand, some models suffer from a sharp increase, such as the iPhone 11.

Read also: the repairability index struggles to convince the French

For the record, the repairability index has been criticized many times since it came into force. According to the UFC Que-Choisir, the index is completely useless. Worse, the HOP association (Stop programmed obsolescence) even believes that the index is misleading. The scores displayed on the products would be way too high. In this context, the index struggles to convince consumers.