[RecioC]

US Federal Agencies No Longer Allowed to Buy Apple Products

US Federal Agencies No Longer Allowed to Buy Apple Products

Published on: 7th Jul 2012

US federal government agencies are no longer able to purchase Apple products after the company withdrew from a mandatory certification scheme.

The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) certification is required under a law passed in 2009 if a federal government agency is to buy goods or services from a company. It ensures that the products meet minimum environmental protection standards.

In a statement on its website the agency said that Apple had notified the it that it will be withdrawing its products from the EPEAT registry and will no longer be submitting its products to EPEAT for environmental rating.

In a statement, the agency said that "We regret that Apple will no longer be registering its products in EPEAT. We hope that they will decide to do so again at some point in future."

It is not clear why Apple withdrew from the ratings service, especially as it cuts off sales to a fairly substantial customer - the US Government. One report by the iFixit blog suggested that the problem relates to the difficulty of repairing Apple products and stripping them down for recycling.

US Federal Agencies No Longer Allowed to Buy Apple Products via @cellularnews

I came across this article today and I'm want to know why this article has not taken off yet. I should have 100K's by now, but probably doesn't.

Spread the word...

RIM needs to take advantage of this ASAP.

[jegs2]

Well, the US Army is still issuing Blackberry phones, though mine is the older generation of Bold.

As for Apple products, heard some scuttlebutt that G6 types were testing out iPhones, but it's just rumor.

[kbz1960]

There goes all those ipads.

[Branta]

SF leads the way in Apple's home state. The writing is on the wall...

San Francisco Environment Officials and CIO Plan to Block Apple Over EPEAT standards - The CIO Report - WSJ

[app_Developer]

EPEAT waivers are issued all the time. We're working on one today for one of our clients. The government buys lots of things that aren't listed, but you need a waiver.

Remember also that from Apple's perspective the US govt is a very tiny client. The US govt is a very important client to RIM obviously. But to Apple, the entire US govt probably buys fewer products than even a single small Apple Store sells.

[TheScionicMan]

There goes all those ipads.

But the EPEAT registry does not yet include certifications for smartphones or tablets, both of which are an increasing part of Apple�s business.

One of Apple�s newest products, the MacBook Pro with its high-resolution �Retina� screen, released last month, would not have been eligible for certification, according to EPEAT CEO Robert Frisbee. That�s because the computer�s battery was glued into its case making recycling, which requires separating out toxic parts, difficult, Frisbee said. An Apple staffer told EPEAT the company was leaving the registry, last month, because of changes to its �design direction,� Frisbee told CIO Journal.

The move by city officials is largely symbolic. Only around 500-700, or 1%-2% total, of municipal computers are Macs, Walton estimated. In 2010, the last year for which the city has complete reports, the city spent $45,579 on Apple desktops, laptops and iPads (the last of which are not certifiable under EPEAT and would not be barred by the city�s policy.) That�s compared to a total of $3.8 million spent overall on desktops and laptops, in 2010.

But Chris Geiger, manager of green purchasing at San Francisco�s Department of Environment, said the move could influence policy far outside the city limits. San Francisco is prominent in environmental circles, and many local governments from around the country look to his office for guidance on green purchasing, he said.

�In terms of purchasing power it�s just a drop in the bucket,� said Geiger. �But there are a lot of cities and counties who will do what San Francisco does.�

San Francisco Environment Officials and CIO Plan to Block Apple Over EPEAT standards - The CIO Report - WSJ

[pri79269]

This was Apples choice. I don't think they do anything without reason and they've done well to date. It's a small chunk of business and as mentioned, some will continue to buy with waivers.

No real biggie for them, but perhaps an opportunity for RIM to pick up some scraps.

[xandermac]

Apple are custom designing/building their own PC parts now so they wouldn't meet current EPEAT standards for "recycling". The only way to recycle the new MacBook will be to take it back to Apple for the time being.

This won't effect iPhone or iPads (at the moment) as the EPEAT program doesn't cover phones/tablets.

[guerllamo7]

I hope that when the lawsuit from the Justice Department for price fixing e-books comes through the ban all Apple products that use e-books from state and federal agencies.

We should not support this kind of behavior.

Justice Dept. Sues Apple and Publishers Over E-Book Pricing; 3 Publishers Settle - NYTimes.com

[xandermac]

RIM pay $74 million to settle stock options scandal. They should be banned from government use. We shouldn't support this behavior.

http://m.cnet.com/news/rim-execs-to-...ating/10158017

[xandermac]

RIM pays $614 million to settle patent theft suit. They should be banned from government use. We shouldn't support this kind of behavior.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/03/technology/rimm_ntp/

RIM just keep on settling.

[pilsbury]

You guys bashing Apple need to be concerned about what device you're going to get when RIM goes belly up in the very near future and your phones stop working instead of worrying about what Apple Inc does. From the looks of things, I'm pretty sure Apple is doing OK, with or without those contracts.

[gritzo]

You guys bashing Apple need to be concerned about what device you're going to get when RIM goes belly up in the very near future and your phones stop working instead of worrying about what Apple Inc does.

This is my main concern in life.What will i do when RIM goes under?..i will probably get an Iphone.
Does this make you feel better now?

[brucep1]

I hope that when the lawsuit from the Justice Department for price fixing e-books comes through the ban all Apple products that use e-books from state and federal agencies.

We should not support this kind of behavior.

Justice Dept. Sues Apple and Publishers Over E-Book Pricing; 3 Publishers Settle - NYTimes.com

In Smartphone war, there are thousands and thousands of topics to beat into the ground.

You choose e-books.

Are you really reading so many e-books that Apple's "price fixing" has negatively effected your life? How? I ask only because going through your post history you seem to bring it up almost every time Apple is mentioned.

[simu31]

... and your phones stop working ...

Really?!? So you're telling me my phone will self implode, or self destruct IF RIM goes out of business??
And there I was thinking I pay my carrier to be able to make phone calls and send text messages, when apparently I've been paying the wrong company and should have been giving my money to RIM all this time

Si.

[xandermac]

Really?!? So you're telling me my phone will self implode, or self destruct IF RIM goes out of business??
And there I was thinking I pay my carrier to be able to make phone calls and send text messages, when apparently I've been paying the wrong company and should have been giving my money to RIM all this time

Si.

Without BES/BIS what is it worth as a smartphone?

[simu31]

Without BES/BIS what is it worth as a smartphone?

Oh, I understand that bit, but that's not what was written. And frankly the type of scaremongering that some people have been throwing around is just ridiculous.

Si.

[xandermac]

Fair enough, everyone knew what he meant, I guess some just needed to be pedantic about it.

[qbnkelt]

Oh, I understand that bit, but that's not what was written. And frankly the type of scaremongering that some people have been throwing around is just ridiculous.

Si.

*IF* RIM goes under, for BIS/BES to continue to exist, the NOC has to remain alive. So the carrier is not the issue, it's the NOC.

Would RIM sell control of the NOC? Would someone buy RIM's services?

It's not scaremongering, it's a critical compoment of what makes a Blackberry function.

I *AM* concerned. You might not want to be so flip about it.

[xandermac]

Would RIM sell control of the NOC?

Good question, and if RIM did sell, to whom?

The list of potential suitors is pretty small to begin with and of those, which would you trust your data to? FaceBook? I don't think so!!!

What if an Iranian company made an offer that was too good to turn down? Naturally the government would have to step in and block that sale right?

All the corporate and government data that flows through RIM is a concern, especially with their future up in the air at the moment.

Loss of service is one thing. My bigger concern is what happens to the data if there is a sale. Just a little something else to consider.

[pilsbury]

Really?!? So you're telling me my phone will self implode, or self destruct IF RIM goes out of business??
And there I was thinking I pay my carrier to be able to make phone calls and send text messages, when apparently I've been paying the wrong company and should have been giving my money to RIM all this time

Si.

I have a pretty vast knowledge of smartphones and RIM devices specifically, having used them for close to five years. If BIS/BES goes down, it will render your phone pretty much even more useless than it is now. If you didn't know that, I suggest you investigate it. Everyone reading this understood what I meant except you.

[qbnkelt]

Except that my devices are not useless, Pilsbury....they manage my day.

They do not work for you and are not the preferred platform of growing numbers, but they're wonderful for me and my usage.

And no, that does not mean only FB, mail, BBM and calls....

[pilsbury]

Except that my devices are not useless, Pilsbury....they manage my day.

They do not work for you and are not the preferred platform of growing numbers, but they're wonderful for me and my usage.

And no, that does not mean only FB, mail, BBM and calls....

I understand and respect that. I've said that all along, whatever works for YOU is the best phone for YOU. Basically I was getting a little dig in at the BB faithful who continue to come in the Apple sub forum and bash. I don't go in the BB forums anymore, haven't in a couple of years. Let me enjoy and post about my phone, and I'll respond in kind. I'm not talking about you, I've read your posts. I'm speaking to those who get a kick from being the troll of the month.

[pilsbury]

This is my main concern in life.What will i do when RIM goes under?..i will probably get an Iphone.
Does this make you feel better now?

It doesn't make me feel at all. I could care less what type of phone you use. Does that make you feel better now?

[gritzo]

It doesn't make me feel at all. I could care less what type of phone you use. Does that make you feel better now?

Actually,you made me sad. Thanks..