U.S. Public Interest Research Group released its annual ranking of device repairability. | Rabanser/Shutterstock
In this year’s “Failing the Fix” scorecard, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said cell phones overall are getting more repairable, while laptops have stagnated. Continue Reading
Samsung Electronics launched a Circular Battery Supply Chain to recover and reuse cobalt. | MilsiArt/Shutterstock
Samsung Electronics is working to take cobalt from old Galaxy batteries and incorporate it into new batteries. Continue Reading
Apple’s iOS 18 update will expand its “Activation Lock” to include individual high-value parts, including batteries and displays. | Attila Fodemesi/Shutterstock
Apple’s latest operating system update will expand a feature unpopular with reuse and repair advocates to not just cover the phone as a whole but also individual parts. Continue Reading
The average age of iPhones at trade-in in the second quarter of 2024 was 3.8 years, while the average age of Android devices was 3.5 years.| ErickPHOTOPRO/Shutterstock
Consumers continue to hold onto devices longer before trading them in, according to second-quarter data from a trade-in company. Continue Reading
A group of e-scrap companies and organizations recommended the FCC create a system in which donated phones can be checked for theft, and then unlocked to enable reuse. | Wk1003mike/Shutterstock
In response to a Federal Communications Commission request for comment on its new phone carrier unlocking rule, e-scrap industry members urged the agency to address a different kind of software locks that prevent reuse. Continue Reading
Apple’s latest iPhone recycling robot, Daisy, can handle 29 different iPhone models. | Courtesy of Apple
As more companies look to address e-scrap recovery, some are moving away from gentle dismantling and instead aiming for speed – and Apple is now one of them. Continue Reading
uBreakiFix by Asurion offers repairs for smartphones, tablets, computers, game consoles, smart speakers, drones and more. | PRNewsfoto/Asurion
Repair company uBreakiFix by Asurion opened another franchise location in Laredo, Texas, offering repairs for consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets, computers, game consoles, smart speakers and drones. Continue Reading
Consumers received back billions of dollars of value from their mobile device trade-ins in 2023, a report found. | Maxx Studio/Shutterstock
The value returned to consumers for their used mobile device trade-ins hit a record high $4.3 billion in 2023, thanks to strong demand for new devices, a bump in the worth of old smartphones and other factors. Continue Reading
Allison Ward with Dell Technologies, Scott Shackelford at Google and Cassie Gruber with Jabil spoke about how sustainability is shaping the future of electronic devices during a panel discussion at the 2023 E-Scrap Conference in September. | Big Wave Productions/E-Scrap News
Electronics manufacturers are making their devices more sustainable every day, with longer-lasting products, reused materials, take-back programs and designs that have repair and recycling in mind from the start, industry experts told an audience of e-scrap recyclers last year. Continue Reading
Walter Alcorn, vice president of environmental affairs and industry sustainability at the Consumer Technology Association, (center) speaks with Craig Boswell, co-founder and president of HOBI International (left) and Paul Walker, senior director at Samsung Electronics America, during the Role of Reuse as Tech Evolves session. | Big Wave Productions/E-Scrap News
Device repair and reuse is a hot topic, and OEM representatives recently talked about how manufacturers are supporting – and can better support – that aspect of the industry. Continue Reading