Back Market and iFixit Want You to Use Your Phone for at Least 5 Years

How often do you replace your laptop? Every five to seven years? Maybe more? You probably don't wait as long to upgrade your phone, but that's what the DIY supplier iFixit and the refurbished device retailer Back Market want to change. Ahead of Earth Day on April 22, the two companies have partnered to launch a marketing campaign that encourages consumers to replace their phones every five years instead of the national average of two and a half to three years. The responsibility of keeping older tech alive isn't just falling on you, though. The two companies are also asking policymakers and manufacturers to extend smartphone parts and software support to 10 years. Phone makers like Apple, Google, and Samsung support devices for about seven years, though most phones from other manufacturers get half that, if not less. Kyle Wiens (left), CEO of iFixit, repairs a laptop with Back Market CEO Thibaud Hug de Larauze (right). Photograph: Back Market By replacing the battery and holding on ... Read full article.