As technology changes daily, it’s no wonder most consumers are looking for the next best smartphone that’s available.

The new smartphone upgrade and leasing plans in the United States have consumers considering the switch to a new device a lot sooner than they have before. But what should trigger a switch—the desire for the latest and greatest or signs that your phone may be ready to bite the dust?

The unresponsive touchscreen, a flash of light and then the black screen: all things a mobile phone owner has experienced at the death of a device.

Those little signs of a phone losing life fill any technology addict with utter despair as they swing between “I hope it just run out of battery” to the realization they might have to replace it.

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.

April is Earth Month, but a concerted effort on recycling mobile devices would make every month Earth Month.

For nearly a decade, Big Box Retailers like Best Buy and Walmart have been aggressively pursuing mobile phone sales. At this point, smartphones make up a significant portion of revenue.

Insurance is a big part of the mobile ecosystem. In 2013, Warranty Week estimated that more than 60%-66% of smartphones were insured through a protection plan.

Earlier this year, Market Reports Hub estimated the global mobile phone insurance market to be nearly $31B in revenue by the end of 2015.

The mobile device industry has long been one of the most complicated businesses—right up there with the process of buying a house or a new car.

However, OEMs didn’t have to worry much about this complexity because of the tight link that always existed between them and carriers.

It seems like everyone has had "that" friend at some point in their lives. The one who stretches the limits of a “friends and family” discount at their place of work.

We might think this is harmless enough—after all, will a company really notice such a minor exception to the rule?

But no matter how you look at it, this is a form of fraud.

On April 22nd, we celebrated the 47^th annual Earth Day with the rest of the world. The modern environmental movement that started in 1970 has never been more relevant than it is today—especially as the volume of electronics in the world increases exponentially.

For the average consumer, purchasing a new smartphone might seem like the most complicated purchase they can make—maybe aside from a house or a car.

However, the complicated phone-buying process overshadows an equally mysterious process—trading in a used device.