Does it really have to be a new cell phone every year? No, according to more and more customers in Europe. The useful life has increased significantly in recent times. Smaller mobile phone manufacturers are particularly affected by the trend reversal – and 5G is hardly a selling point.

Mobile phone market: Customers use smartphones longer

Gone are the days when a smartphone was seen as something like a better disposable product: Anyone who gets a new cell phone every year or every 24 months is almost on their own average usage time in Europe According to a study, it has now grown to 40 months, i.e. almost 3.5 years. What makes for less e-waste has disadvantages for the industry. According to the study, “sales in the hundreds of billions” could be lost (source: hot online).

It is said that manufacturers are affected differently by the trend reversal. Heavyweights such as Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi have to worry far less than others because of an overall falling sales forecast. There are also big differences depending on the region. While Europeans are getting rid of their cell phones later and later, it is in the USA on average only around 24 months.

The degree of saturation of the customers is also reflected in the 5G technology noticeable. According to the study, the fast mobile communications standard is not yet a major incentive to buy. Milo Bogaerts, Germany head of the credit insurer Euler Hermes, thinks that the “killer function” for 5G has simply been missing so far. The difference between the advertised and actual transmission speed in the 5G network is also used to explain the lack of enthusiasm among customers.

Old mobile phones do not belong in household waste:

Finally less e-waste through longer mobile phone use?

Fall in Germany 20 kilos of e-waste per capita every year on. Although smartphones weigh much less than refrigerators, smaller devices in particular are often not disposed of properly – instead they sometimes end up in household waste. In order to contain the problem, customers can also hand in their old cell phones in supermarkets from July 2022. Smartphone manufacturers should also be held more accountable.