In an interview with Brut, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained why the company releases new iPhones every year, what the device will look like in the future, and what measures he is personally taking to reduce his carbon footprint.
The brief interview, filmed at Apple's data center and solar facilities in Denmark, explores Cook's views on various environmental issues such as "greenwashing." Cook explained that Apple wants to contrast the secrecy of its products with the openness of its environmental efforts because it hopes to be emulated by other companies. Cook added that Apple still has more work to do in its use of renewable energy and recycled materials to meet its environmental goals.
When asked whether we really need a new iPhone every year, Cook responded:
I think it's a great thing to have an iPhone every year for people who want it. What we do is allow people to trade their phones more easily. So if the phone still works, we will resell it. If it doesn't work, there are ways to dismantle it and take out the materials to build a new iPhone.
The interviewer then asked what the iPhone will look like in 20 or 30 years:
I think it will be carbon neutral. I think obviously it's going to be well ahead of where it is right now, but I don't want to give you all our secrets on this. Suffice to say, from an environmental perspective, it will be carbon neutral.
When asked what Cook personally does to help the environment, he replied:
I do drive an electric car. I try to avoid plastic and plastic bottles. I also participate in recycling and composting in my daily life. All of these things that I try to do are try to do something that has a lower carbon footprint as much as I can.
Watch the full interview video on the Brut. website or on TikTok:
https://brut.media/in/science-and-technology/tim-cook-speaks-to-brut-bc5fd23c-d951-4a9c-850f-55951d24f303
https://www.tiktok.com/@brutamerica/video/7287338638239747371