Few other deivces to be excluded

Apple is not allowing the iPhone to be rated in a new environmental ranking scheme run by UK carrier O2, says The Guardian. Put together in partnership with a sustainability advisory group, Forum for the Future, the scheme rates phones based on the environmental impact of factors like manufacturing, packaging, energy efficiency and recyclability. Each device gets a score of zero to five based on 63 questions provided to manufacturers.

Several major manufacturers are participating in the rankings, including Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. In fact 93 percent of O2 devices should be covered, according to the carrier, making the omission of the iPhone more conspicuous. BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has promised to join the system next year.

An Apple spokeswoman has declined to say why the company would turn away from the O2 system. Instead the media is being directed to the company's internal environmental reports, which promote the iPhone as creating a minimal footprint. The approach has been criticized by groups like Greenpeace, which accuse Apple of not being transparent.

The top-rated phone on O2's list is the Sony Ericsson Elm, with a score of 4.3. This is largely because of its ability to substitute for several different devices, such as a camera, MP3 player and GPS unit. Several phones have tied for second place, with a score of 4; these include the Nokia 1800, Nokia 6700, Nokia C7, Samsung GT-S8500, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro and Sony Ericsson Zylo.

By Electronista Staff