Do consumers want new phone models often, or would they prefer longevity in their old phone?  Whenever a new phone model comes out, consumers see plenty of advertisements on TV, internet, and other sources of media.  In addition, we also tend to see it on the news.  The long lines of consumers waiting outside a store before it opens is often one of the big news for the day.  Phone manufacturers are continually developing more advanced, up-to-date, and new phone models.  Each phone has special qualities.  Their physical features come slimmer or lighter.  And often a new unique feature that other phones do not have.

Phone manufacturers see the sales that are coming in when they release their new phones.  Therefore, they continue their efforts in coming up with more features for the next new model.  They see consumers lined up, waiting to be one of the first to get the new model.  To them this is profit, customer loyalty, and opportunity for more growth.  Yet, every new phone release, leaves old phones left behind.  Either given away, sold, left in a back drawer, and hopefully never thrown in trash.

However, is this really what customers want in their phone?  It seems a pain to have to switch over to a new phone so often. Transferring contacts, saving media like music, photos and videos, making sure you have the same useful applicatinos, etc.  And no matter what is done to switch phones over, there is always some convenient feature that gets left out and not available to the user.

In addition, Greenpeace recently did a study on what consumers do want.  And the results are probably not what the manufacturers want to hear.  Consumers tend to prefer to have a phone they can rely on.  They want a phone that will last a long time.  They also would like a phone that is easily repairable.  Lastly, consumers said they would also like recycling services for old phones easily accessible.  This says a lot about the consumer, and their awareness for our resources and environment.  But can the phone manufacturers take this information and still find a way to profit from it?