Blame AI? Used smartphone prices set to rise dramatically as new smartphone market expected to crash by 15% in 2026
THE SO WHAT
AI‑driven memory demand is distorting handset economics—shrinking new phone sales by an expected 15% while pushing consumers into the refurbished channel. If you rely on mobile hardware refresh cycles, model a world where users hang onto devices longer and secondary markets, not flagships, drive engagement and support load.
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