There’s No Reason to Buy a New Phone Anymore
Consumers are increasingly opting for used smartphones over new models as the pace of technological innovation slows and prices for new devices rise. The secondhand electronics market is experiencing significant growth, signaling a shift in consumer sentiment away from the traditional tech hype cycle.
Why it matters
This trend reflects a broader economic shift where consumers are prioritizing value and sustainability over incremental hardware upgrades.
Consumers are ditching the hype cycle and buying used devices in unprecedented numbers.
Illustration by Akshita Chandra / The Atlantic. Source: Getty. August 18, 2026, 12:08 PM ET Share Save In a time when an iPhone can be preordered, customized, and on its way to your doorstep all through a touch-screen tap, it’s almost quaint to remember that people used to camp out for smartphone releases. That was once the regular routine of Andrew Erickson, a longtime tech YouTuber, who recalled to me with a mixture of nostalgia and awe the time he braved the rain at 4:30 a.m. to join a line for the newest iPhone. The line snaked through the mall, nearly reaching the parking lot.
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