Apple and Google have an interest in getting consumers to hold onto their smartphones for more years too. Their most recent state-specific marketing push included the promotion of a five-year replacement cycle. This new initiative could not have come at a better time. In the U.S., the national average for phone replacement is now about two-and-a-half to three years. Both companies are countering increasing pressure on environmental sustainability and increasing costs from the persistent U.S.-China trade war. They want to leverage their brand to change consumer behavior to be more sustainable.
Apple, Google, and Samsung all support their devices for a minimum of seven years. By comparison, other manufacturers have done far less, frequently offering half of that or less. The combined impact of users keeping their devices longer through the campaign will reduce waste and have a positive impact on the environment.
We’re looking to do a little more than prolong the life of your smartphone. We want to shift the entire industry in the way people think about consuming technology,” said an Apple spokesperson. The campaign organizes activities around communicating the financial, social, and environmental benefits of extending device life. It especially focuses on minimizing environmental harm from the impact of constant replacements.
The announcement of this campaign comes at a time when technology industries are facing increasing tariffs on their critical inputs. Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, has been sounding the alarm about the current economic climate. He continued, “I think it is safe to say that tariffs and costs will increase on new devices—that seems pretty safe to assume. This background makes the call for sustainability more urgent as consumers would be forced to pay more for new smartphones.
The marketing campaign is helping to fuel that movement. Advocacy groups such as Back Market and iFixit are leading campaigns to ensure smartphone components and software support last for up to a decade. Advocates say that this much support would go a long way to eliminate phone replacements and the associated carbon footprint. For instance, research indicates that replacing the battery and retaining an iPhone 13 for five years instead of opting for a new device could lower carbon emissions by 49 percent. Continuously maintaining a device—including frequent repair and refurbishing of devices—over a ten-year span emits much less. In reality, this cut would be even more astounding—a whopping 68 percent.
Thibaud Hug de Larauze, CEO of Back Market, joined in solidarity with the campaign, stating, “We are fighting the same fight. The collaboration between major tech companies and refurbishment advocates aims to raise awareness about sustainable technology use while simultaneously addressing economic factors affecting consumers.
Conveniently, iFixit is doubling down on its mission to get people to use their devices longer. Coming soon, you’ll be able to buy its repair toolkit directly on Back Market’s marketplace! Still, this initiative fuels a much bigger movement. It serves a secondary purpose of empowering consumers by providing them the information they need to repair their devices, not replace them.
The joint marketing campaign by Apple and Google is more than a surprising detour 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 tech industry. These companies advocate adoption of a five-year replacement cycle. Their goal is to establish a commons where sustainability is prioritized above the breakneck pace of technological development.
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