The iPhone4 has a number of positive sustainability features, but Apple offers no evidence that it "embodies Apple’s continuing environmental progress." The phone's Environmental Status Report on its specs page appears to have been cut and pasted from previous models.

Perfunctory communication can undermine meaningful action.

The full iPhone3GS Environmental Report attributes 49% of the unit's 55 kg life-cycle CO2e to consumer use. Apple has not yet published a similar document for the iPhone4.

Apple's environmental reporting

Update 2010.06.23
Ma Jun, Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, provides an alternative view of the iPhone4 in China Green News. It's worth reading the whole article, here are some excerpts.

iPhone4 [is] assembled in China. As the world’s center for the processing of IT products, China’s environment is paying the price. Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and battery power production especially create heavy metal pollution and has particularly serious damage and consequences. To promote the development of a true shift to green business behavior, 34 environmental NGOs conducted research and found data on some heavily polluting suppliers to IT brands. Then they made communications on this issue with 29 IT brands including Apple. Now 50 days has passed and Apple, with all its high-profile environmental commitment, is one of the 8 companies who did not respond...[Apple has] always made a high-profile announcement of its green commitment. So when you purchase their products, you are also purchasing a commitment. Apple relies almost entirely on outsourcing, so if suppliers are left unchecked, and violate discharge rules and standards, the company also violates their commitment...There are already a number of successful cases of brand companies controlling suppliers’ heavy metal pollution.