Apple Says Taptic Engine in iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro is Made of 100% Recycled Rare Earth Elements - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Says Taptic Engine in iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro is Made of 100% Recycled Rare Earth Elements

by

Apple this week published environmental reports for the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, revealing that the Taptic Engine in all three devices is made of 100 percent recycled rare earth elements.

appledaisyrecyclingrobot
The Taptic Engine, which powers haptic feedback, represents around 25 percent of the total rare earth elements used in each iPhone.

"This is one of those happy coincidences where what is good for the planet is really good for business at the same time," Apple's environmental chief Lisa Jackson told Reuters. "One of the things we talk about a lot internally, just in general, is how much more resilient this makes our supply chain."

Apple is able to recover and sort some rare earth elements using its recycling robot Daisy.

Top Rated Comments

85 months ago
Im thinking the “rare element” Apple means, is cash.
The taptic engine is made out of cash? That's pretty cool. Seems like a bit of a waste though.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chucker23n1 Avatar
85 months ago
I've always wondered if Apple is the only one who recycles and tries to minimize their carbon footprint or if they are just the only ones advertising it
For years, Greenpeace would complain that Apple didn't do enough for the environment. So Apple started doing these reports to say "actually, we're doing plenty".
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
85 months ago

For years, Greenpeace would complain that Apple didn't do enough for the environment. So Apple started doing these reports to say "actually, we're doing plenty".
Actually, that was Greenpeace not comparing what company _did_ for the environment, but what they said publicly. I remember them praising HP and condemning Apple because HP promised they would get rid of some led related stuff in the next years - while Apple had already done it without telling anyone.

Clearly they learn from this.


It’s such a lame sales pitch. I’ve always lost a bit of respect for companies that advertise, how green or eco friendly or diverse or *insert anything here* they are. If you really care about it- just do it. Why announce it publicly? Obviously to gain some sort of tangible result. Like- “ Wow, I always used Huawei phones, but now, that I know, that Apple is making some kind of small part from some kind of recycled metal- screw that earth destroying Chinese company” .
You say it's a "lame sales pitch". As I said, ten years ago Apple got hugely negative press from Greenpeace because they did things without telling anyone, while Greenpeace applauded companies for just _promising_ they would do the same thing.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mutepointer Avatar
85 months ago
Im thinking the “rare element” Apple means, is cash.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottsoapbox Avatar
85 months ago
Too bad they can't use recycled force touch parts.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kabeyun Avatar
85 months ago
Why not make this move sooner?
No idea, but you seem to suggest that the only possible answer is nefarious.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Apple Business hero

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:53 am PDT by
Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...