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A printed version of this label will also physically accompany each device sold in Europe. This is part of a new regulation that took effect on June 20, 2025, and it applies not just to Apple but to all manufacturers.
Apple’s New Standard, Inspired by Home Appliances
The European Commission has introduced this regulation with the dual goals of better informing consumers and promoting more sustainable consumption habits.
The label, already familiar on home appliances, rates products from A (most energy-efficient) to G (least efficient) based on their energy efficiency and other factors such as battery lifespan, durability, and repairability—areas where the California-based company has sometimes faced criticism.
Detailed Information Just a Click Away
Right before the final checkout step on the Apple Store, a small label with the significant letter appears in the top left corner. Clicking on it brings up a comprehensive, detailed product sheet.
Online, the label can be viewed via a colorful icon located on the iPhone and iPad pages of Apple’s websites in the relevant countries (the 27 EU countries, as well as Norway and Switzerland). It comes with a downloadable product sheet (PDF) that provides more specific technical information:
• Battery capacity in mAh
• Number of guaranteed charge cycles
• Scratch resistance (Mohs scale)
• Water and dust resistance level (IPxx)
• Minimum duration for security updates availability
A Cautious Apple Expresses Concerns
Apple has made it clear that it is not thrilled about this new requirement, expressing its views in a typical fashion. The company has published a white paper detailing the methodology used to determine the data on the label. While it acknowledges the EU’s principles of sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental protection,
it has voiced concerns about some aspects of the testing protocols established by Brussels.
It points out several contradictions and a lack of clarity in various criteria, such as energy efficiency calculations, tests for resistance to repeated drops, volume calibration, and the interpretation of failure thresholds.
On its product pages, Apple indicates that its current iPhones could technically achieve the best grade, A, but has voluntarily chosen grade B. The reason? Ambiguities in the testing methods defined by the Commission—or in other words, differences in testing conditions between European labs and Cupertino’s clean rooms.
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Out of a desire for transparency—and especially to prevent independent tests conducted under different interpretations from leading to a downgrade—Apple has opted for a conservative approach. The company has taken the same cautious stance in rating the reliability of repeated drop tests, deliberately downgrading some scores.
Harmonization on the Horizon
Apple hopes that the Commission will clarify its measurement criteria in the coming months. In the meantime, this initial version of the label is an important step toward greater transparency in the tech industry, and it could soon extend to other categories of electronic products.
Consumers can also consult an official database on the European Commission’s website, which contains information for all models sold in the region.