Good for Mother Nature? RAM-pocalyse encourages millions to recycle their old devices as expert says 'economics of component recovery are changing'

As AI's need for memory chips surges, even broken smartphones are becoming more valuable to consumers. Aging devices that were once discarded are now fetching prices in the resale market. The shortage of these chips has driven up demand for refurbished parts. B-Stock, a platform for used smartphones, reports a rise in pricing for Apple and Samsung devices in the second quarter of 2026 compared to previous periods.

Grade D handsets, the lowest condition tier, made up the majority of sales last year and accounted for 37.8% of volume in the first half. Mid-tier C-condition phones even surpassed the lowest grade in sales volume. Apple's top iPhone model, the 17 Pro Max, achieved an average price of $940 across all condition levels. Samsung's flagship models, including the S23 Ultra, S22 Ultra, and S24 Ultra, also saw strong performance.

Industry experts caution that consumers may not be motivated solely by environmental concerns, but rather by the practicality of keeping their phones for longer periods. The economics of recovering usable components are changing as memory prices climb, making it worthwhile to salvage parts from damaged devices. While not all parts within a phone may be salvageable, individual components like displays, batteries, and charging ports can retain value even after the device itself is beyond repair.