After a first quarter that saw tech consumers receive $1.24bn from mobile trade-in and upgrade programmes, a 40% increase from the same quarter a year earlier, the US secondary device market has revealed even stronger growth over the past three months of the half-year, returning $1.34bn in value to consumers, according to the latest Assurant study of the market.
The Assurant Q2 2025 mobile trade-in and upgrade industry trends report says this growth represents a 60% year-on-year increase, highlighting the rising appeal and growing financial impact of trade-in programmes as consumers upgrade to newer devices – showing the strongest Q2 on record for trade-ins.
Yet at the same time, the study also finds a “compelling” trend in which, as trade-in value increases, consumers are holding onto their devices longer. The average age of devices returned through trade-in reached an all-time high of 3.88 years, compared with 3.7 years at the same time last year.
This shift, says Assurant, reflects improved device performance and reliability, along with expanded personalised protection plans and repair options that continue to enhance the usability and value of mobile devices for consumers.
As this market expands rapidly, Assurant says the environmental impact of holding onto devices longer cannot be ignored, maximising the usable lives of turned-in devices and offsetting global e-waste.
For the fourth consecutive quarter, the iPhone 13 and Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G continued to be the most frequently returned Apple and Android models through trade-in and upgrade programmes. This means the iPhone 13 continued its reign as the leader for the fourth consecutive quarter, while the Samsung handset has been the top Android device for the same period.
Such trends, says Assurant, signal the continued expansion of 5G into the secondary device ecosystem. It appears that 5G devices are being traded in for newer products with enhanced capabilities.
Assurant notes that consumers are getting smarter about when and how they upgrade, and with $1.34bn returned through trade-in programmes, it says it’s evident that mobile users are recognising there is value in their ageing devices and capitalising on opportunities to offset the cost of new ones.
Moreover, Assurant believes the behaviour indicated by the study reflects a more intentional upgrade cycle, where timing, value and incentives align to benefit both consumers and the industry. For carriers, original equipment manufacturers and retailers, it says, it’s a signal that well-timed promotions and robust trade-in programmes continue to be powerful tools for driving engagement and revenue.
“Historically, the second quarter has been a quieter period for trade-ins and upgrades, although this year, we are seeing strong market resilience,” said Biju Nair, president of global connected living and international at Assurant.
“Consumers are trading in older devices for new smartphones with functional AI [artificial intelligence] capabilities. Initially, many took a ‘wait and see’ approach to AI, but as it evolves from a feature to a more personalised capability tailored to the everyday needs of consumers, we anticipate device age to decline as more consumers see the value of upgrading to this new generation of devices.”
