The allure of new phones has faded; consumers hope to extend their phone lifespan. Many Apple fans eagerly await the release of the iPhone 7, and to seize market share, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Note 7 on August 2nd, less than a year after its last new phone release. Greenpeace conducted a survey in July and August this year in seven regions: Taiwan, the United States, Russia, Mexico, Germany, China, and South Korea, regarding mobile phone usage. The survey found that Taiwanese respondents owned an average of 5.41 phones per person, second only to Russia's 5.55. Due to the rapid pace of new phone releases by various brands and the increasingly shorter lifespan of phones, even respondents in Germany, who owned the fewest phones, averaged 3.22. In this Greenpeace survey, respondents' phone ownership included both active and idle phones; unused phones were mostly due to being broken or old. A survey shows that while over a third of respondents still buy new phones primarily for their new features or functions, over half believe that brands release too many new phones each year. However, only 46% of respondents in Taiwan agree with this view. Li Zhian, Global IT Project Director, stated, "From the moment mobile phones are manufactured, they not only consume vast amounts of rare natural resources but also generate various chemical pollution problems. When they are finally discarded, they become inexhaustible electronic waste." According to a 2014 United Nations University report, up to 3 million metric tons of electronic waste originate from small IT products such as mobile phones and personal computers. If improperly recycled, harmful substances from these electronic waste products could seep into the soil or rivers, even causing air pollution. In fact, in this survey, most respondents hoped their phones would be easier to disassemble, more convenient to repair, and recyclable. More than half of the respondents agreed to reduce the frequency of phone replacements. In addition, 56%, 44%, and 41% of respondents in Taiwan, Germany, and Mexico, respectively, also reported that telecom operators are updating their pricing plans, including products, too frequently. Li Zhian believes, "The growth of the smartphone market has slowed down, especially in developed and developing countries, where the frequency of phone replacement or upgrades will not be as high as in the past. The future focus is on changing the mass production and disposable model, while phone design will emphasize extending lifespan and innovating profit models." Greenpeace's survey also observed that, except for Germany (86%) and Taiwan (59%), over 90% of respondents in other regions believe that 'longevity' is a key design focus for future smartphones. Furthermore, respondents in China (95%), Taiwan (94%), Mexico (94%), and South Korea (92%) hope that future smartphones will be easier to repair to extend their lifespan and reduce replacement frequency. The public is no longer happy to see brands release too many short-lived and difficult-to-repair phones and is gradually realizing that frequent system upgrades and phone replacements will increase the impact on the environment and resources. Greenpeace believes that new products should incorporate recyclability into their initial design phase and use recycled materials instead of virgin materials. Li Zhian emphasizes that true innovation in technology brands should lead the trend towards closed-loop production and a circular economy, not only increasing profitability but also ensuring the sustainable development of the environment and human society. For detailed results of the smartphone usage survey, please refer to the attachment: 2016_mobile-survey-summary.pdf. Source: Greenpeace (2016-08-15)
