Infographic Illustrates the $4 Billion Phone Repair Economy

Mobile phones have become an integral part of a human life specially the smart phones. Over the years, with advancing technology, new smartphones were launched by various companies which people were head on ready to buy as soon as the sale opened. iPhones, precisely were the leading ones in the market when it came to new releases as people would stand in long lines outside the Apple Store prerelease.

However, things have changed within the past few years and people are not as eager to buy the new releases as immediately as they were before. There are a few reasons for such change in thoughts and feelings of people when it came to new phones. Among these are that now the devices that are being released have less attracting and new features compared to the old releases and it makes users less intrigued towards a device. According to statistics only 1 out of 3 Americans are likely to upgrade their phone immediately on the launch of a new device and previously numbers were higher.

Apart from this, money plays a huge role. With expenses taking a toll on people it is less likely that users will upgrade their devices when their old ones are working perfectly well. Also, the smartphones prices are in the skies now and it is not possible for a middle class man to upgrade phones every now and then considering how the prices have rose by 50 percent.

Not upgrading to newer devices frequently means people hold on to their older smartphones longer than before, and the longer you hold onto something, more likely it is to slip out of your hands.

We meant smartphones. Longer you hold onto a smartphone, more chances of it to break or crack.

An infographic from uBreakiFix shows that 2 smartphones definitely experience a crack every second within the US. This makes at least 95 million damaged iPhones every year.

Now, if you think about where users have broken or managed to crack their phones, you will laugh because it is in the basic of places and in the weirdest of ways.

The infographic showed that 32 percent experienced breaks and cracks in parking lots, 17 percent in workplaces, 9 percent because of some water body. Fun fact, 11 percent of all the smartphones experience water damage each year, this percentile calculates to 100,000 phones every day. Woah!

While 8 percent have also managed to break their phones during some physical activity. In all these places, 29 percent of these users experienced crack screen, 27 had some minor scratches, while 22 percent users’ phones battery stopped working.

However, what caught our attention in the infographic was that people who already have broken their phones once, are more likely to do it again compared to those who never experienced a crack screen.

If I experienced a crack screen, which I have before, I continue on with my life with the same crack on my screen and send a thankful prayer that at least my phone did not stop working. However, that is not the case for everyone.

The infographic stats showed that when experience a crack only 45 percent users get their crack or phone damages fixed. A huge chunk of 59 percent simply upgrade to a new smartphone while 21 percent carry on with their broken phones until the day it gives up on its life completely.

One another, fun fact, the infographic showed us that while women are termed to be more put and proper when it comes to the accessories they carry, it is not the same case when it comes to broken phones. According to the report, men will change their phones quicker than women do. 62 percent women continue to use their broken phone while 55 percent men immediately go and get their screens fixed.

While all of these stats are covered and though people like to carry new and sleek phones rather than broken ones, it is not always necessary for us to buy new smartphones for us to look presentable, just get your old ones fixed, it is better for the environment and you. How? Keep on reading.

Among a bunch of reasons, the basic ones are that it saves you money. Obviously getting a phone repaired will cost you less than what buying a new phone costs.

Apart from this, it reduces emissions, e waste and saves energy and is more convenient for you as users will not have to go through the hassle of transferring important files.

So if you are convinced, that getting a phone repaired is much more convenient how about you follow some of our tips which will prevent you from even getting your phone repaired because it will be in safe hands or covers in this case!

Covers, Covers is the key word, always use back covers for your phones. The statistics showed that 44 percent users did not have a phone case when their mobile screen broke. Covers or cases are essential. They guard your phone against drops and shocks.

Also make it wear a screen protector to prevent scratches and not let your phone battery fall a lot.

We hope this helped you in understanding what massive impacts a broken screen has on the mobile market and also how you can protect the environment with your decisions when it comes to your phones.
The phone replacement cycle is changing.  The lifecycle of our phones is steadily increasing.  The time between upgrades or phone replacements has risen over the past 5 years.  In 2016, consumers would wait 23 months before upgrading or replacing their phones.  In 2018, the time between replacements was 25 months, and by 2019, the time had increased to an average of 33 months.  There are three main reasons Americans are keeping their phones for longer: new features aren’t exciting, high prices, and revamped carrier contracts.   Recently, new features aren’t tempting Americans to upgrade.  Just 1 in 3 Americans is interested in upgrading to take advantage of new innovations and “wow features”.  In addition, only 7% of those who have spent over $1,000 on phones say they will likely purchase a 5G device as soon as it’s available.  High prices are also pushing consumers to delay upgrades.  From 2016 to 2019, the world’s top 3 smartphone brands saw prices increase by over 50%.  Finally, revamped carrier contracts break the 2-year upgrade cycle. Payment plans for new devices can take 2 years longer to pay off.   Consumers are more likely to pay full retail price for a new phone, and keeping our phones for longer means we are more likely to see something break.  Phone damage happens constantly.  72% of people have broken a smartphone; once you break one, you are 2x more likely to do so again.  In the United States, 2 smartphone screens are cracked every second. 95 million smartphones are damaged by drops every year, which is almost $30 billion in electronic devices.  Many people don’t take the steps to safeguard their devices before a break.  44% of people weren’t using a case when their smartphone broke, resulting in 55% adding or upgrading their phone case after a break.   Instead of waiting until a break happens, knowing what puts your phone at risk can help you prevent unnecessary damages.  Phone breaks usually happen on the go.  In the car, or in a parking lot is most common, with 32% of breaks occurring there.  Screens and batteries are most likely to break.  Cracked screens and scratched screens are the most common and non-working batteries are another common issue that damaged phones have.  Bodies of water also damage phones; 11% of all smartphones experience some form of water damage each year. That’s 100,000 phones per day.  Extending the life of your phone is important as prices rise and we keep them longer.  Using a case will guard against drops and other damages.  Look for shock-absorbent materials like silicone or rubber and check the manufacturer’s website for drop-test when purchasing a case to ensure it will protect your device.  Most new phones are made with Gorilla Glass, so a screen protector isn’t necessary, but if you have an older phone, a screen protector will prevent scratches to your device.  Maintaining at least 50% charge whenever possible will help maximize battery life.  In addition, using a charger that automatically stops charging when your battery is full also maximizes phone battery life.   Chances are you have dealt with a broken device.  Before you rush to go replace it, consider repairing it. Repairing a broken device is beneficial because it reduces emissions and e-waste, conserves resources, saves energy and money, and is more convenient.  Fewer new devices manufactured can help lower greenhouse gas emissions from factories, and repairing devices can reduce the pollution created from the hazardous chemicals in discarded devices.  Manufacturing and recycling digital devices require more energy than making repairs, and consumers will typically spend less on repairs than purchasing a replacement.  Whether you’re trying to save money or benefit the environment, repairing rather than replacing is the way to go.
Read next: Industrial Age to Tech Age, The Changes and The Cycle of Innovation (infographic)
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