The chip industry that was bracing for a difficult period with laptop sales slumping is adjusting to a wider and sharper slowdown even as semiconductor companies prepare to spend billions of dollars on new factories.
AMERICANS LOVE brand-spanking-new everything. But the tide might be shifting: Refurbished smartphone shipments grew 15% year-over-year in 2021, while new smartphone shipments rose only 4.5%, according to a recent report from global market researcher Counterpoint Research. While Americans have been able to buy reconditioned versions of common appliances and tech for decades, the concept has gained traction in the last few years. The reasons for this change aren’t necessarily clear, but advocates say it’s a certain boon for consumers.
That unused phone sitting in your desk drawer isn’t just collecting dust. It’s also quickly losing value—hundreds of dollars in cash you could put in your pocket by trading it in or selling it online.
Look up the Auto Update Expiration date on Chrome OS devices you’re shopping for—or already own—to avoid security risks
Europe’s tech scene has struggled to emerge from the shadows of giants in the U.S. and Asia, but friendly local policies and a global overflow of investment capital are now giving the region a gusher of cash.
Investments in European tech firms soared to $93.3 billion last year, a record and a 142% increase over the year before, according to CB Insights. The number of deals jumped as well, to 7,051 from 5,746 the year before and 6,051 the year before that.
Back Market, an online marketplace that sells refurbished iPhones and other electronic devices, has raised funding that boosts its valuation to $5.7 billion, leapfrogging what it was worth less than a year ago, according to the company and its investors.
Founded in 2014, Back Market fixes and resells electronic goods, including Apple and Samsung smartphones and tablets, MacBook, Dell and Microsoft laptops, Krups coffee makers and Dyson hair dryers.
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