Part of the reason that trade-in programs are gaining momentum for carriers is that the process has become much easier over the years. What was once a low-value, high-friction trade-in experience has been streamlined thanks to new technology.

Every time a hardware upgrade cycle comes full-circle, a closet somewhere in the office gets more packed with retired phones and mobile devices. For many tech managers, trading those devices in can seem like more trouble than it’s worth.

In 2017, we watched over $2.1 billion transfer to U.S. customer hands through mobile device buyback and trade-in programs. And while your first reaction may be to think it’s all from consumer trade-ins, it’s important to recognize that businesses are part of this equation, too.

From a consumer’s perspective, the process of buying a new phone often seems confusing. But in a world of smartphones and constant upgrades, there’s one piece of the process we’re all coming to understand—device trade-ins.

Looking at the shortest month of the year, did the promotions come up short?

Recycling your old mobile device has never been easier, so why don’t more people do it? The highest percentage of the recycling market are cell phones, more than any other electronic material. However, in the U.S., we only recycle 10 percent of our phones, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We have the option to do better by taking advantage of the growing eWaste industry.

In the mobile and telecoms industry, February is dedicated to one thing—Mobile World Congress (MWC). As the world’s largest event for the mobile industry, attracting over 100,000 attendees and more than 2,300 exhibitors, MWC is an event that simply cannot be missed.

A new year and new promotions for January 2018.

The secret is out: The refurbished mobile device market, was predicted to grow to a $14 billion dollar industry by 2017, and here in 2018 we anticipate continued success.

As small business owners, franchises, and big box stores alike scramble to grab their piece of this revenue, our expert team at HYLA Mobile is watching the buying and selling frenzy all play out on our analytics dashboard.

Every quarter we analyze and compile data about the mobile device trade-in market. We look to see which devices have held their value, which devices are being traded-in the most, and how U.S consumers benefit from these activities. At the end of the year, we look at the overall trend in the pre-owned smartphone market and see what’s different from the year before. What happened in 2017, and how does it compare to 2016?

2017 was an interesting year for smartphones.