Apple's Lighter Shade of Green

Last year, Apple (AAPL) introduced a series of laptops with a reduced carbon footprint. Called "the greenest family of notebooks," the MacBook line is manufactured without all the harmful toxins typically found in laptop production - although traces of bromine and chlorine are still present. Its aluminum unibody construction minimizes the amount of non-recyclable materials, and the operating system requires less power to run.

So far, so good.

But what really stood out for customers -- and has been touted in ads -- is the machine's long-lasting lithium battery, capable of 8 hours of uptime and 1000 recharges (the equivalent of 5 years, we're told). Tests have shown the batteries do indeed last close to 8 hours under normal use, but their 5-year shelf life extends past standard AppleCare warranties, leaving a $180 fee for a replacement service.

Warranties aside, an internal extended-life battery is good for consumers and landfills alike. So why hasn't the company done the same for its iPhones and iPods?

After years of gripes, the battery life of Apple's most popular devices are still less than optimal - especially the iPhone. The smartphone can support just 5 hours of talk time, and a mere 5 or 6 for Internet use. For a device running off a solid-state drive with no moving parts, that's surprisingly inefficient.

Trumpeting the advancement in MacBook's battery life while ignoring this ongoing concern seems almost hypocritical. If Apple really wishes to be regarded as a green company, extending the battery life of its iPhones and iPods should be near the top of its priority list.

As it stands, replacing drained batteries is a pain. For one thing, they're sealed in a nearly impenetrable chamber. Owners are told to bring handheld devices with damaged or worn-out batteries to an Apple professional - and the company charges a significant replacement fee for items no longer under warranty.

Several do-it-yourself guides propegate the web, but once an iPod or iPhone is cracked open, the warranty is automatically voided. A removable battery would eliminate waste: Buying a new device would cease to be more cost effective than getting the old one fixed.

Of course, that would cut into sales. 

With great excitement and anticipation, all eyes are on tomorrow's iPhone 3.0 software preview. Let's hope that, amid the fanfare, Apple aims for some practicality.