San Mateo, CA and Chicago, IL, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New information from each Circana and B-Inventory reveals the age of smartphones traded-in reached an all-time excessive in the course of the 2025 improve cycle, with most gadgets being three generations again or older. The information additionally exhibits that regardless of ageing trade-in stock, pre-owned smartphones are in excessive demand globally, and gaining belief amongst customers as extra OEMs and cellular carriers spend money on Licensed Pre-Owned (CPO) applications.
Circana information exhibits that as of October 2025, roughly 11% of U.S. customers personal a pre-owned smartphone, with roughly 30% of these being licensed fashions. Particular to CPO applications, shopper belief seems to have drastically improved: almost half of pre-owned patrons report telephone situation was “a lot better” than anticipated. And, as issues about situation, {hardware} efficiency, and battery life have eased, 75% of customers who purchased their present telephones in new situation report they’d take into account a CPO machine as an choice, demonstrating rising belief in refurbished gadgets.
“The pre-owned smartphone market within the U.S. stays extremely resilient, pushed by sturdy shopper demand for reasonably priced, high-quality gadgets, in addition to the rising pool of second-hand gadgets getting into the market,” mentioned Brad Akyuz, Business Analyst Marketing consultant, Cellular at Circana. “On the similar time, the standard of labor being achieved by the wi-fi group with respect to refurbishment, together with elevated use of real components, and introducing larger transparency and standardization throughout the secondary market, has altered purchaser expectations and improved perceptions of machine situation.”
This mounting belief and demand has resulted within the pre-owned market outpacing the brand new market with provide steadily rising as trade-ins have change into an integral a part of carriers’ retention applications. Nevertheless, prolonged possession cycles at the moment are reshaping pre-owned provide. B-Inventory information exhibits that gadgets 5 generations previous or older (N-5+) accounted for 19% of all pre-owned smartphone provide in 2025, that’s up 75% from 2022. On the similar time, this similar information exhibits D and E grade gadgets reached record-high ranges, signaling a noticeable skew towards lower-quality stock as machine lifecycles proceed to stretch.
The impact of this ageing provide pool is a tightening home marketplace for pre-owned provide, particularly CPO gadgets. “Getting old, lower-grade fashions sometimes aren’t eligible for U.S.-based CPO applications as they normally require newer era gadgets in A/B grade situation,” mentioned Sean Cleland, VP of Cellular at B-Inventory. “As carriers stretch cost phrases out to 36 months, customers are holding onto gadgets longer and fewer trade-ins meet these thresholds. Whereas the quantity of trade-ins could also be wholesome, the composition is shifting away from what CPO applications want.”
Concurrently, there’s heightened worldwide competitors pulling quantity offshore. B-Inventory worldwide cargo information exhibits {that a} roughly 15% devaluation of the U.S. greenback made American gadgets considerably extra engaging to abroad patrons in 2025. Consequently, worldwide shipments of U.S.-sourced pre-owned smartphones almost tripled yr over yr. Dubai and Hong Kong accounted for roughly 80% of worldwide quantity, whereas the Netherlands and Spain emerged as fast-growing export locations. Demand was significantly sturdy throughout Southern Europe, the place older fashions such because the iPhone 6, 7, and eight stay in energetic use.
“Worldwide refurbishers, particularly in areas the place labor and components are cheaper, are competing aggressively for the older provide,” mentioned Cleland. “These dynamics are beginning to squeeze home refurbishers that don’t have the identical price construction or entry to stock.”
About Circana
Circana is a frontrunner in offering expertise, AI, and information to fast-moving shopper packaged items firms, durables producers, and retailers looking for to optimize their companies. Circana’s predictive analytics and expertise empower purchasers to measure their market share, perceive the underlying shopper habits driving it, and speed up their development. Circana’s Liquid Information® expertise platform is powered by an expansive, high-quality information set, and clever algorithms skilled on six a long time of area experience. With Circana, purchasers can take quick motion to future-proof and evolve their development methods amid an more and more advanced, fast-paced, and ever-changing economic system.
About B-Inventory
B-Inventory is the world’s largest B2B recommerce platform and system of document for all resale. We join sellers and patrons of returned, trade-in, and overstock stock by means of a set of on-line resale channels. Our clients vary from the world’s largest manufacturers and retailers that need best-in-class stock resale administration to entrepreneurs trying to supply beneficial merchandise for his or her resale companies.
With lots of of 1000’s of transactions accomplished yearly, we imagine expertise and entry drive a wholesome B2B resale ecosystem. B-Inventory provides patrons a easy and direct method to purchase beneficial merchandise instantly from retailers and presents sellers a technology-driven alternative for conventional resale strategies, whereas boosting operational effectivity, restoration charges, and cycle time.
