Apple is going all out to promote Earth Day this year. App Store WWF fundraisers, free iBook environmental lessons on iPads, green Apple Store shirts and logos, and last night’s iMessage and renewable energy video so far …
Now Apple’s bringing the focus back on Liam, the iPhone recycling robot we met last month, in another Earth Day video promoting recycling. The video features a clever interaction between the virtual assistant and iPhone recycling robot, then invites you to ask Siri about Liam. Doing so will prompt an interesting response, followed by a link to apple.com/recycling. This marks the second time this week Apple has used Siri to promote something new or notable on its website following the unconventional WWDC announcement earlier this week.
Apple has also promoted product recycling this year with three exclusive wallpapers.
Here are a few responses to expect when you ask Siri about Liam:
Check out the latest Earth Day video below:
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Recycling, Repurposing and non-killing robots are all great. But let’s be honest here, the best way to be more Eco-friendly would be to stop making annual upgrades with incremental updates and actually putting ALL the available features in a new device (as opposed to intentionally omitting features to ensure suckers will be tempted enough to rebuy next year).
I’m not saying that to be judgy. I’m saying that as a guilty person who buys a new phone every year. Even with the new annual upgrade programs then that’s a whole lot of great tech that doesn’t always gets re-used.
Nothing against annual updates. They push the technology ahead.
I’m against people throwing out 1 year old phones just because there’s a new one with a silly new feature.
If Apple jumped to the bleeding edge, there would be one phone that took a huge leap. Then it would immediately go back to small iterations because that’s how fast technology is moving. Apple hangs back slightly because they want more finished tech that is more reliable and I agree with that tactic. The difference between each Galaxy year after year is just as slight (and more reliant on gimmicks to maintain interest).
There’s usually a new model of all the cars made every single year, doesn’t mean you’re suppose to scrap your one-year-old car to buy the new one. I realize phones are not that extreme, but it’s the same principal. I replace my iPhone every two years. When I’m done with the old one, I turn it back into the vendor. Not only do I get a small refund on my purchase, but I take good enough care of them to allow someone else to buy mine second hand if they want to save some money. Technology has to be iterative to get better. And my two-year cycle is only sane because I get financially compensated for it. Some people simply lease a car for two years, go back to the dealer for the newest model, and repeat. Those cars don’t get scrapped either. They get cleaned, tuned up, and sold at a discount to frugal buyers.