Apple's Cork, Ireland, campus houses a Reliability Testing Lab where devices undergo extreme durability tests.
Teams simulate years of wear and tear in days, subjecting devices to impacts, extreme temperatures, humidity, radiation, and chemical exposure. Machines repeatedly tug charging cables and simulate sweaty fingers on screens.
Apple's "Longevity by Design" initiative aims for longer-lasting, repairable products using recycled materials. iPhones are dropped onto wood, asphalt, and granite. iMacs are baked at 149 F, exposed to high humidity, and blasted with -4 F air.
Engineers use X-rays, CT scans, and electron microscopes (5nm resolution) to identify internal flaws. Daisy, Apple's recycling robot, disassembles up to 2.4 million iPhones annually.
The goal is to ensure devices perform well on day 1,000, enhancing reliability and resale value. Apple aims for carbon neutrality in its supply chain by 2030.