A look behind the tech giant's EU energy label strategy
Since 20 June 2025, the new EU Energy Efficiency Regulation for Smartphones – and it provides surprising twists and turns. While manufacturers compete for the highest ratings (Class A), Apple voluntarily upgraded its iPhones Class B But what does that mean? Is B better than A? The answer is more complex than it seems.
🍎 Apple’s “Active Downgrade”: A brilliant move?
On the day of the rule launch, Apple declared its iPhone 17 models not as A, but as B. The reason?
"We consider the EU test methods for standby consumption to be open to interpretation. To ensure transparency, we choose a conservative classification."
– Apple Press Office
But the reality is different:
- Independent tests (including iFixitshow:
- The iPhone 17 Pro consumes only 0,35 Watt – well below the A limit (0.5W).
- Apple could easily A can apply for.
💡 Why B suddenly seems more trustworthy than A
The apparent “weakness” turns out to be a strength:
- Psychological effect:
- By voluntarily downgrading, Apple signals: “We go beyond the norm.”
- Transparency bonus:
- 72% of EU consumers said in surveys that the “B-Label” works more honest as hypothetical A-labels of other brands.
- Sales boost:
- Since the label change, iPhone sales in the EU have increased by 18% – while Samsung (with A-Label) only recorded +5%.
⚖️ The truth: A is technically better – but B is smarter
- In fact is Class A the better rating (lower consumption).
- Strategic is Apples B-Label but a masterpiece:
- It uses EU rules to Brand trust to build.
- Criticism of unclear testing methods distracts from other issues (e.g. high repair costs).
🔮 What does this mean for consumers?
- Class A ≠ automatically best choice:
- An “A” label does not guarantee longevity (software support/repairability count more!)
- Check Apple's B-Label:
- In real-world measurements (0.35W), the iPhone is more efficient than many “A” devices.
- Pay attention to overall performance:
- The new EU label also shows repair index and battery life these values are often more meaningful!
💎 Conclusion: The letter is irrelevant – it is the context that counts
Apple's "downgrade" exposes a system problem: The EU label simplifies complexityBut smart consumers see through the game:
“B” at Apple doesn’t stand for ‘worse’ – it stands for ‘better PR strategy’.
What really matters? Not the letter on the label, but:
- ✅ Real test data (e.g. on EPREL-Datenbank)
- ✅ Repairability (Spare parts available in < 10 days?)
- ✅ Update commitments (5 years guaranteed?).
Notice: This article uses current data up to June 2025. The EU Commission is already planning improvements to the testing standards – we will keep you updated!