Apple and Belkin Reducing Environmental Impact of Packaging With iPhone 13 Launch

During Tuesday's media event, Greg Joswiak noted that Apple has redesigned the packaging for the iPhone 13 lineup to eliminate the traditional outer plastic wrap on the box, a change that will avoid creating 600 metric tons of plastic waste.

iphone 13 no plastic wrap
As shared in a tweet by leaker DuanRui earlier today, it appears that Apple's solution is one already used on many Apple accessories, involving a sticker with a tear-off strip that secures the box until it's ready to be opened.


Apple is not the only company making changes to its packaging for sustainability reasons as part of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 launch, with Belkin today announcing that its new lineup of screen protectors for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 family will arrive in packaging made entirely of recycled plastic water bottles and forest certified paper.

belkin ultraglass iphone 13
In addition to the packaging change, which is part of a broader internal and external sustainability initiative at the company, Belkin says the Screen Protector Applicator kits made available to retail stores to assist with installation will also transition to more sustainable materials including kraft paper, plant-based plastic liners, and soy-based ink.

Belkin's Anti-Glare Screen Protectors for all ‌iPhone‌ 13 models are available from Apple for $19.95, while the UltraGlass Screen Protectors with double ion-exchange strengthened lithium aluminosilicate glass are priced at $39.95.

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Top Rated Comments

thadoggfather Avatar
53 months ago
Reduce your environmental impact if you really care and skip the upgrade!
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WiseAJ Avatar
53 months ago

Was the primary motivation behind these changes really sustainability, or was it cost savings?
Why can't it be both?
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sophisticatednut Avatar
53 months ago

Someone will still complain.
Considering the trillion dollar R&D budget apple have, it’s kind of lame when apple come with come with half assed solutions.
remove iPhone charger, don’t remove iPad chargers and remove watch charger.

makes all our bricks to e-waste, don’t offer an exchange program to take care of the old 5w chargers.

puts USB-c on the new iPad Mini for its transfer speed as the iPad Pro. Have USB c charger on the Apple Watch, have exclusively used USB-C on every Macbook for the last 5 years released. But still for some reason uses USB 2.0 lightning connector on the iPhone 13 and the cheapest iPad model… great

and have the least environmentally friendly way to repair computers
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mashdots Avatar
53 months ago
less use of plastic is always better
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sciomar Avatar
53 months ago
Someone will still complain.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
53 months ago
Does this make everybody feel better?

If people really want to help out the environment, stop buying a new phone you don’t need every single year
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)