Today we’re taking a trip to the metaphorical phone graveyard. I know, sounds a bit dark, doesn’t it? But the reality is that phones are quite feeble creatures, they’re just like day-flies.
Well, maybe not exactly - the average lifespan of a smartphone is around 2.5 years in the US, according to Statista. And while 2.5 year is not a day-fly lifespan, the rate at which smartphone manufacturers dish out new models far outweighs the actual needs for the said new models.
Average lifespan of smartphones in the United States
Thus we can only expect the lifecycle of a regular smartphone to shrink further in the future. So, the question is, what happens to your old phone when you upgrade?
With so many trade-in programs (and good ones, too) it’s likely that most of you guys just trade your old phone to get a newer model. I’m quite sentimental myself and tend to keep my old phones to give them to relatives and friends.
I even sold one or two on a version of Craigslist here in my country but this was more of an exception to the rule. I’d like to think that a gadget can serve somebody else rather than being sent to a huge phone graveyard, or a recycling plant, years before its time.
What happens to your old phone when you upgrade?
I keep it
23.8%
Trade-in happens...
23.95%
I sell it on eBay/Craigslist etc.
16.11%
I give it to family/friends
17.42%
I use it as a backup phone
17.27%
Other (in the comments)
1.45%
What about you? What happens to your ex daily driver when the next model falls into your hands? Share your sad or happy phone stories in the comments below!
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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