On World Environment Day, here's why you should trade in your old smartphone

Planning to buy a new smartphone? Here’s why it is a great idea to trade in your old device.

Trading in your old smartphone is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. (Unsplash)

Technology has advanced at a rapid pace in the last few years and smartphones are one of the biggest indicators of it. One of the most shocking facts that have come up in recent years is that modern smartphones are as much as a million times more powerful than the guidance computers aboard Apollo 11, the spacecraft that put man on the Moon in the last century! Despite the advantages, one so-called side effect of this advance is that smartphones become obsolete very quickly.

For example, Apple's 2017 flagship, the iPhone X had around 4.3 billion transistors in its A11 Bionic chipset and that was the fastest processor in the market then. Nowadays, the A16 Bionic of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max has nearly 16 billion transistors, four times that of the iPhone X, and that makes the iPhone 14 Pro not only more powerful but more energy efficient as well. In light of this rapid change, people tend to change their smartphones every year or two, and while that allows them to own the latest smartphone in the market, it also creates a lot of e-waste.

So, on this World Environment Day, here's why you should trade in your old smartphone while buying a new one.

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1. Reduced e-waste

Whenever you buy a new smartphone, most people tend to chuck their old devices in the cupboard, and that takes up unnecessary space. This becomes an issue when people keep changing smartphones every year or two. Trading in your old smartphone ensures that you do not face the hassle of keeping your old smartphone in a secure place. Moreover, it also means that there is less e-waste in the world as your refurbished smartphone can be used by someone else. Thus, it reduces your carbon footprint on the environment.

2. Economical advantage of a trade-in deal

Smartphones cost a lot of money nowadays. Good smartphones cost around the $500 mark and the cost is even higher if you go for the flagship devices. In such a situation, trading in your old smartphone knocks a percentage off the total cost of your new smartphone, meaning that you can get it at a discounted price. The trade-in discount usually depends on the model and condition of your smartphone. For example, Apple offers up to $630 off as a trade-in discount on its iPhone 14 Pro, which usually costs $999.

3. Safe

Trading in your old smartphone for a new one is a secure way of getting rid of your old smartphone, instead of just chucking it in a bin, which is environmentally disastrous. Over the course of usage, your smartphone collects all sorts of your data, some of which might be sensitive and private, and just formatting the storage does not always mean it is gone. When you trade in your smartphone, companies ensure that your smartphone is properly refurbished, and not only give it a physical clean but also erase all of your data on the device, ensuring that it is completely blank before being sent to its new owner.