They’re everywhere. Across the earth there are over 1.46 billion active iPhones according to a 2023 study from Demand Sage. Given those odds, it is likely that you or someone you know owns the device. 

​

Apple first unveiled the device in 2007. Since then, it has become a household staple for so many across the globe. Given its popularity, it is important to understand where an iPhone comes from, and what happens to iPhones once they get thrown away. 

​

The below set of slides will walk you through the lifecycle of an iPhone from what materials are sourced, where the parts are manufactured, where the device is assembled, what happens while it’s used, and where it goes when users discard it.