Is it good to invest in a Second hand phone? If you are someone looking for an answer to this question, read through.
With the world moving lightning fast and technology evolving every other hour, smartphones continue to get upgraded and it looks to be never ending. With a hefty price tag, it’s not always possible to hold a recently released phone for a middle class or upper middle class consumer. This is when a second phone or a pre-owned phone come in handy. In this article we will try to explore some of the interesting benefits of buying a second Android phone.
In principle a smartphone can have a lifespan of 2 to 5 years with a battery life ranging from 2 to 3 years. If I hold a phone from 2024, I will be missing some the fully matured AI features along with next-gen 3nm processors, and improved power efficiency. The other upgrades include faster, more efficient chipsets such as Tensor G5, Snapdragon 8 Elite etc.
Though there could a number of benefits, I have tried to put together the top 5 Benefits Of Buying Second Hand Phone
1. Second Hand Phone Can Save You Significantly
As Android phones continue to get upgrades due to the competition between manufacturers, the depreciation is fast. Even the prices of top model phones drops by 30 to 50% in a span of 6 to 12 months. The chances are high to get phones with upgraded features at a lesser cost than what you hold now. Even flagship models can be bought at a mid-range price. In most of the cases, you don’t pay the new launch premium cost which comes attached when models on demand release.
2. Increased Value For Performance
When you are on a budget, you can go for a second hand premium phone instead of a mid range new phone. You can expect improved features when it comes to
- Better performance
- Increased data storage
- High end camera
- Premium build quality
“USED POWERFUL” is better than “NEW BASIC“
3. Ideal For Short Term or Back Up Use
Smart move is to invest on a used phone for temporary purposes which will serve the purpose.
- Travel phones
- Business contacts
- Students
- Common office phone
- Testing apps or development needs
4. Slower Depreciation
Buying a second hand phone will depreciate slow because it has already taken the first hit of depreciation when you bought it. You resale loss will be way lower comparing to selling a new phone. You get to upgrade again at a lower cost.
If you are someone who is looking for frequent upgrades, this would be the best option for you. You financial impact will be very less because you skip the steep drop that happens after unboxing a device
5. Environmentally Responsible Option
I saved the best for the last. My personal opinion is, you should definitely invest in a used phone and not a new one. The impact you this will have over the environment will be immeasurable. I have already wrote about E-Waste. An article published in WHO’s official site has detailed information around Electronic waste (e-waste)
It’s as simple as buying one used phone is equal to stopping the manufacturing of one new phone.
The Environment will thank you if you invest in a used phone. Let's support the cause.