Smartphone component costs drive rise in value of old devices

Old smartphones are increasing in value due to global shortages of memory chips and the rising cost of electronic components. This trend is driven by the high demand for components used in artificial intelligence infrastructure, which has increased the price of new parts and made salvaged components more desirable.

Even damaged or non-functional devices are becoming profitable for resale and dismantling. Buyers are increasingly interested in recovering specific internal parts such as screens, camera modules, batteries, charging ports, circuit boards, and speakers. Data from the second-hand platform B Stock indicates that the value of Samsung and Apple devices rose in the second quarter of this year compared to the previous two quarters.