For nearly 60 years, CES has served as the stage where the global technology industry defines progress. Each year, companies showcase brighter screens, faster processors, and increasingly sophisticated prototypes. Yet, according to Back Market CEO Thibaud Hug de Larauze in an op-ed, newness has gradually replaced genuine innovation. Consumers are conditioned to equate advancement with device replacement, fuelling an upgrade economy that prioritises hardware turnover over lifecycle extension.
Global smartphone proliferation
The scale of the upgrade economy is staggering. Since 2013, more than one billion smartphones have been sold annually, and by 2022, 5.3 billion devices became waste in a single year. E-waste now grows five times faster than recycling, contributing to a mounting global environmental burden. Sites such as Dandora in Kenya, the largest open-air electronic waste dump, illustrate the human and ecological cost of fast-paced consumption. The pattern is clear: in the upgrade economy, device obsolescence is often software-driven rather than hardware-limited.
Environmental footprint of digital devices
Digital technology already represents roughly 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with projections reaching 14% by 2040. Studies in France indicate that 78% of the environmental impact of digital devices originates during manufacturing, long before a device is switched on. This underscores the strategic relevance of recommerce and repair in reducing the environmental footprint. For manufacturers, investors, and policymakers, extending device life offers tangible sustainability benefits while aligning with emerging regulatory expectations.
Software-driven obsolescence
Software policies increasingly dictate device longevity, often rendering fully functional hardware obsolete. Microsoft’s withdrawal of Windows 10 support places over 400 million computers at risk, while Apple gradually phases out older iPhones. The result is predictable, institutionalised waste, driving consumers toward refurbished alternatives. Market response reflects this shift: new smartphone sales are slowing in contrast with rapid growth in secondary markets, highlighting the strategic opportunity in recommerce.
Redefining progress through slow tech
Industry experts at CES 2026 emphasise a transition toward software-centric ecosystems and AI-enabled services. In this context, value emerges from durability, repairability, and lifecycle extension rather than perpetual replacement. The “Slow Tech” paradigm reframes progress as the optimisation of existing devices, encouraging companies and consumers to prioritise functionality over novelty. For the secondary market, this shift signals growth potential, policy alignment, and measurable environmental impact.
Circular economy gains strategic relevance
As Right to Repair legislation advances across the U.S. and Europe, businesses in recommerce are gaining both legitimacy and market traction. By integrating device grading, repair, and resale into standard practice, companies can mitigate e-waste, extend revenue streams, and strengthen brand credibility. CES may continue to showcase innovation, but its value increasingly lies in highlighting sustainable practices and challenging the traditional upgrade cycle.
Via: LBC.co.uk
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