Assurant bought OptoFidelity’s mobile device test automation portfolio to boost throughput, speed refurbishment and support reuse programs across its Device Care Centers. | Courtesy OptoFidelity
Assurant has expanded its automation toolkit with the acquisition of OptoFidelity’s mobile device testing portfolio, a move the company said will accelerate diagnostics and raise refurbishment capacity across its global Device Care Centers.
EcoBatt, part of the EcoCycle Group, is opening a Melbourne plant to recover in-device batteries. | Photo Courtesy of Gloyd Recycling Solutions
A new Battery-in-Device Shredding (BIDS) facility in Melbourne will start operations shortly, according to its backers, who say the site will tackle the growing problem of batteries hidden in everyday products and the risks they pose when discarded. Continue Reading
Consumers received $1.34 billion from mobile trade-ins in Q2 2025, a 60% jump on the year, as device ages hit a record 3.88 years and AI-capable phones spur upgrade interest. | Karen Poghosyan1/Shutterstock
Assurant’s latest quarterly snapshot of the secondary smartphone market shows a record haul for consumers and a steady rise in device age, suggesting upgrade timing is being shaped by a mix of richer mobile provider promotions and emerging interest in on-device AI.
The bill applies to devices purchased after Sept. 1, 2026, that are worth more than $50. | Apitoca/Shutterstock
Texas legislators became the first in a “red state” to send a right-to-repair consumer electronics bill to the governor’s desk, and the bill differs in several ways from other recent laws. Continue Reading
Former employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development were told they would not be required to physically turn in their work devices. | -People Image Studio/Shutterstock
The U.S. government decided not to have recently fired workers return federally issued electronics, instead noting they will be “remotely sanitized,” despite the potentially sensitive information the laptops, tablets and phones may contain. Continue Reading
Gov. Bob Ferguson has 20 days to sign the bills into law after they are delivered to his desk. | Zack Frank/Shutterstock
A right-to-repair electronics bill is sitting on the Washington governor’s desk, while a bill that would again delay the state’s extended producer responsibility program for solar panels is now law. Continue Reading
Back Market and iFixit announced a broad partnership that will see each integrate the other’s product offerings, as well as direct advocacy on right-to-repair legislation. | Courtesy of Back Market
Two big names in the electronics repair and refurbishment space are partnering up to influence consumer and manufacturer behavior and create a world where circularity is the default. Continue Reading
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