Report: Desire for Green Handsets Growing Among Consumers � for the Right Price

Now that it’s hip to be green, it’s no big surprise the wireless industry is talking about environmentally friendly handsets. But although there’s a growing interest among consumers for green cell phones, the cost of making such units is still a bit too high, reveals a new report put out by ABI Research (News - Alert).

 

A survey of 1,000 adult mobile phone users in North America by the consultancy shows that approximately 7 percent would be willing to pay a premium for an environmentally-friendly handset. Unsurprisingly, an additional 40 percent said they would choose a green handset over a conventional one if price, features and performance were equal.

 

“These survey results mean that almost half of those surveyed were at least committed in principle to use of a green handset,” said industry analyst Michael Morgan in a press statement. “However, the public is largely uninformed about their availability. Only 4 percent said they were ‘very familiar’ with green handsets.”

 

One positive, said Morgan, is that while some recyclable components may be slightly more expensive, but the vendors have in most cases offered handsets with comparable functionality while keeping costs down. The end result is that the price differential between green and non-green models is not remarkable.

 

But for handset manufactures, creating a “verifiably green” handset can prove a bit costly. Often it means revamping the whole supply chain and retooling the production process, Morgan said, adding that watchdog groups such as Greenpeace are on the alert for “greenwashing,” Morgan said.

 

 “There’s an avalanche of information to be managed, just to prove that you’re green,” Morgan said.

 

ABI Research’s new “Green Mobile Devices” also points out that legislation and regulation also play roles in green handset adoption. According to the research firm, the EU has the most comprehensive regulations in place, with targets which the most proactive handset vendors such as Nokia (News - Alert), Samsung and Sony Ericsson view as worth meeting globally.

 

It’s important to also not that there’s a difference between being merely compliant and being truly green, Morgan said.

 

“The three key factors are: using recyclable or renewable materials; ensuring that handsets are in fact recycled after use; and introducing low-power chargers,” he said in a press statement. “Even more crucial for the long-term: leveraging the lessons learned in this process and applying them right through entire handset portfolios.”