People are snatching up used devices in unprecedented numbers.

In a time when an iPhone can be preordered, customized, and on its way to your doorstep all through a touch-screen tap, it’s almost quaint to remember that people used to camp out for smartphone releases. That was once the regular routine of Andrew Erickson, a longtime tech YouTuber, who recalled to me with a mixture of nostalgia and awe the time he braved the rain at 4:30 a.m. to join a line for the newest iPhone. The line snaked through the mall, nearly reaching the parking lot.

Next month, when Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, Erickson has no plans to even buy the phone, let alone fight crowds for it. Instead, along with a growing number of Americans, Erickson is buying used. He’s fed up with incremental improvements in gadgets, he told me, and is more interested in getting an old version of the iPhone 17 Pro when it hits the secondhand market at a discount. Already, almost half of his current devices were acquired secondhand, and as electronics prices soar amid an AI-fueled chip shortage, he expects that portion to grow. “The argument’s just getting weaker and weaker to buy brand-new,” he said.

Based on the numbers, old tech products are indeed being looked at in a new light. Globally, the size of the industry could reach $153.4 billion this year, up from $104.1 billion four years ago. The used-smartphone market alone is expected to grow by more than 12 percent in 2026, according to the International Data Corporation, which forecasts that the market for new smartphones will experience a record drop this year. Growth in secondhand electronics and refurbished gadgets that have been restored to full working condition now outpaces that of new products on eBay, the e-commerce giant reports.

  • its_me_xiphos@beehaw.org
    2·
    2 days ago

    Alrgiht. Since its ride until this thing dies…is there an alternative OS for me humble Samsung S21 Ultra? I understand Graphene doesn’t work with it. I just need to call, 2FA support, Podcasts, Firefox, Maps, and use Signal. That’s it. And I can do without maps.

    • definitemaybe@lemmy.ca
      1·
      10 hours ago

      Just FYI, since nobody responded, the steps to check:

      1. Search if the phone model can have the bootloader unlocked. If no, then you’re likely unable to do anything. Note that in some cases, this can vary by region. (Ex. the US version could have a locked bootloader, but the international model can be unlocked). The bootloader is basically the software that loads your phone operating system, and it needs to be unlocked to allow the OS to be changed.
      2. LineageOS is probably the easiest to check for a reputable replacement OS, for non-Pixel phones (for which you can get GrapheneOS.)
      3. XDA Forums used to be the #1 spot for phone “ROMs” (alternative OSes); it’s changed a bit, afaik, but I think they’re likely the next easiest spot to look for a custom OS, if GrapheneOS and LineageOS isn’t an option.

      A few Linux phones work, but there are only a handful of models supported. If you don’t have a Fairphone 5 or a phone specifically marketed/sold as a Linux phone, you’re most likely out of luck, unless you’re willing to make major compromises, like non-working cell connectivity, camera, etc.