Survey reveals consumers experience new mobile overload
Wednesday, August 17, 2016 - 09:44:50
A report from Greenpeace has revealed that plenty of smartphone owners would prefer major manufacturers to launch fewer new devices each year and put more emphasis on sustainability, with mobile recycling schemes seen as a good way to achieve this, according to the Guardian.
The average respondent to the global survey had three handsets at home which were no longer in use, with customers in Russia found to be particularly likely to hold onto outdated devices since the average rose to five in this region.
Close to a third of those questioned said that they usually purchased a new mobile because an existing device was lost, stolen or damaged in some way. The majority said that they would be content to hold onto their current phone for longer than the usual 12 to 24 month upgrade cycle.
Report spokesperson, Chih An Lee, said that mobile phone recycling rates were not high in many parts of the world, particularly when compared with the sustainable disposal of other electronic waste types. She also said that one of the reasons for this is that plenty of consumers are uncertain about who to contact if they decide to recycle their old phone, as well as being confused about how to fully erase personal information from handsets before they get sent for recycling.
Lee said that while recycling was a useful step on the road to a more sustainable mobile market, it was not the only option available to consumers and manufacturers alike, arguing that repair and reselling practices should also be embraced.
The study went on to examine the improvements that mobile users would like to see in terms of handset design, with 80 per cent stating that they would prefer for their phones to be easier to repair so that replacement was not necessary after damage occurs.
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