MOBILE PHONES
Why phone sustainability depends on how long you keep it
Most phone emissions occur before first use. Mining. Chip fabrication. Assembly. The greenest phone stays in use the longest.
Four factors drive sustainability.
Software lifespan.
Seven years of updates doubles usable life. Samsung leads here. Apple follows closely due to long hardware support. Short update cycles push early replacement and higher e waste.
Battery health.
A degraded battery ends device life. Brands using advanced charging control and high cycle tolerance score better. Oppo, OnePlus, and iQOO focus here.
Circular value.
High resale value keeps phones circulating. Apple dominates due to trade in systems and refurbishment. Devices re enter the market instead of drawers.
Material choices.
Recycled aluminium, recycled rare earths, and ocean bound plastics reduce virgin extraction. Visibility of these materials builds consumer trust.
Metrics used in ranking
Years of software updates.
Battery cycle durability.
Trade in or resale value.
Recycled material disclosure quality.
Local manufacturing footprint.
Mobile Phone Ranking
| Manufacturer | India Sales Rank | Scope 1 Proxy (kg CO2e/unit) | Scope 2 Proxy (kg CO2e/unit) | Scope 3 Proxy (kg CO2e/unit) | Energy Efficiency / Intensity Proxy | Water Intensity Proxy (L/unit) | Material Circularity (%) | Packaging Material | Packaging CO2e (kg/unit) | Waste or E-waste (kg/unit) | Company Renewable Energy (%) | Social/Safety Proxy | BRSR Available | Sustainability Report Available | Data Confidence | Estimation Basis | Primary Reference Link | Subjective Sustainability Factor | Final Sustainability Score (0–100) | Final Sustainability Rating (1–5) | |
| iPhone SE | Apple | 3 | 7 | 6 | 60 | High | 750 | 68 | Glass/Aluminium | 1.1 | 0.08 | 100 | NA | Y | Y | High | Apple product LCA | https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/iphone/iPhone_SE_PER_March2022.pdf | Long iOS support in compact form → extended second‑hand use. | 93.22 | 5 |
| iPhone 13 | Apple | 1 | 8 | 6 | 65 | High | 800 | 70 | Glass/Aluminium | 1.2 | 0.09 | 100 | NA | Y | Y | High | Apple product LCA | https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/iphone/iPhone_13_PER_Sept2021.pdf | 5–6 yrs iOS support + strong resale → multi‑owner lifecycle. | 81.36 | 4 |
| iPhone 14 | Apple | 2 | 8 | 6 | 68 | High | 820 | 72 | Glass/Aluminium | 1.3 | 0.09 | 100 | NA | Y | Y | High | Apple product LCA | https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/iphone/iPhone_14_PER_Sept2022.pdf | 5–6 yrs iOS support + strong resale → multi‑owner lifecycle. | 78.27 | 4 |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung | 4 | 9 | 7 | 70 | High | 850 | 75 | Glass/Metal | 1.4 | 0.1 | 31 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | Samsung sustainability proxy | https://www.samsung.com/global/sustainability/ | 7‑yr OS/security updates → extended functional life. | 58.76 | 3 |
| OnePlus Nord CE | OnePlus | 15 | 9 | 7 | 70 | High | 850 | 68 | Glass/Metal | 1.4 | 0.1 | 20 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | OEM proxy | https://www.oneplus.com/in/sustainability | Balanced mid‑range; 3 OS + 4 yrs security updates. | 55.32 | 3 |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 | Samsung | 5 | 10 | 8 | 75 | Medium | 900 | 65 | Glass/Plastic | 1.5 | 0.11 | 31 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | Samsung proxy | https://www.samsung.com/global/sustainability/ | 4 OS + 4 security updates → longer life than budget Androids. | 38.54 | 2 |
| Samsung Galaxy A14 | Samsung | 6 | 10 | 8 | 75 | Medium | 900 | 60 | Plastic | 1.5 | 0.11 | 31 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | Samsung proxy | https://www.samsung.com/global/sustainability/ | Extended update policy improves lifespan in budget segment. | 36.91 | 2 |
| Oppo Reno 8 | Oppo | 14 | 10 | 8 | 74 | Medium | 900 | 60 | Glass/Plastic | 1.5 | 0.11 | 18 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.oppo.com/en/sustainability/ | Battery optimisation helps longevity; UI bloat adds standby drain. | 36.21 | 2 |
| Samsung Galaxy F23 | Samsung | 17 | 10 | 8 | 76 | Medium | 920 | 60 | Plastic | 1.5 | 0.11 | 31 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | Samsung proxy | https://www.samsung.com/global/sustainability/ | Above‑average update support for mid‑range phones. | 34.51 | 2 |
| Redmi Note 12 | Xiaomi | 7 | 11 | 9 | 78 | Medium | 950 | 55 | Plastic/Glass | 1.6 | 0.12 | 20 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | ICT avg | https://www.mi.com/global/sustainability | Shorter update window; ads encourage early replacement. | 18.5 | 1 |
| Redmi Note 11 | Xiaomi | 8 | 11 | 9 | 77 | Medium | 940 | 55 | Plastic/Glass | 1.6 | 0.12 | 20 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | ICT avg | https://www.mi.com/global/sustainability | Limited long‑term software support → higher obsolescence risk. | 20.04 | 1 |
| Realme Narzo 60 | Realme | 9 | 10 | 9 | 76 | Medium | 920 | 58 | Plastic/Glass | 1.5 | 0.11 | 18 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.realme.com/in/sustainability | Bundled chargers add e‑waste; durable plastic shells. | 28.04 | 1 |
| Realme C55 | Realme | 10 | 10 | 9 | 75 | Medium | 910 | 57 | Plastic | 1.5 | 0.11 | 18 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.realme.com/in/sustainability | Durable body but limited software longevity. | 29.25 | 1 |
| Vivo Y20 | Vivo | 11 | 11 | 9 | 78 | Medium | 960 | 55 | Plastic | 1.6 | 0.12 | 15 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.vivo.com/in/about/sustainability | Strong offline repair network; limited long‑term OS support. | 17.1 | 1 |
| Vivo T1 | Vivo | 12 | 10 | 9 | 76 | Medium | 930 | 58 | Plastic | 1.5 | 0.11 | 15 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.vivo.com/in/about/sustainability | Repair‑friendly offline network; modest support horizon. | 26.86 | 1 |
| Oppo A17 | Oppo | 13 | 11 | 9 | 78 | Medium | 960 | 55 | Plastic | 1.6 | 0.12 | 18 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.oppo.com/en/sustainability/ | Battery‑health optimisation extends cycle life. | 17.42 | 1 |
| Motorola G32 | Motorola | 16 | 11 | 9 | 78 | Medium | 950 | 55 | Plastic | 1.6 | 0.12 | 25 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | OEM proxy | https://www.motorola.com/we/sustainability | Near‑stock Android; unlockable bootloader aids repair/ROMs. | 19.03 | 1 |
| Redmi 12C | Xiaomi | 18 | 11 | 9 | 79 | Medium | 970 | 54 | Plastic | 1.6 | 0.12 | 20 | NA | Y | Y | Medium | ICT avg | https://www.mi.com/global/sustainability | Entry‑level specs + short updates → faster obsolescence. | 15.77 | 1 |
| iQOO Z7 | iQOO | 19 | 10 | 9 | 76 | Medium | 930 | 58 | Plastic/Glass | 1.5 | 0.11 | 10 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.iqoo.com/in/sustainability | Performance‑centric; unclear long‑term support → early e‑waste risk. | 26.33 | 1 |
| Infinix Note 30 | Infinix | 20 | 11 | 9 | 80 | Medium | 980 | 52 | Plastic | 1.7 | 0.13 | 5 | NA | N | Y | Low | ICT avg | https://www.infinixmobility.com/sustainability | Aggressive specs; limited support clarity increases obsolescence. | 10.5 | 1 |
Author
b25327@astra.xlri.ac.in
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