How Orchard Saves the Planet and Makes Late Model Smartphones Cool Michael Kwan May 13, 2019 Extras Remember how excited you used to get about receiving a brand new smartphone every two (or three) years? The hardware upgrade cycle aligned perfectly with your contract renewal cycle. And sometimes, that brand new phone would even be “free.” Except it was never free at all; you were financing it over 24 (or 36) months. With the current trend of monthly “tabs” and the rising popularity of BYOD (bring your own device) plans, consumers are increasingly aware just how much they’re paying for their (increasingly expensive) phones In the current retail environment where the latest flagships sell for over $1,000 outright, the newest smartphones are frequently out of reach (or hard to justify). That’s a big part of the reason why Orchard, Canada’s largest reseller of high quality used smartphones, got its start in the first place; they wanted to help anyone get a better smartphone for an affordable price. To this end, they didn’t focus on the newest, top-tier flagships, but rather on late model smartphones instead. For the vast majority of consumers, late model smartphones are more than adequate for their everyday needs. Indeed, Orchard even showed how a device as old as the iPhone 5 can still be good in 2019. That phone was released in back in 2013, but with a little freshening up, it’s a budget-oriented device that’ll cover the basics for as low as $105. When you pick up a late model smartphone from Orchard, you’re getting a device that has passed two independent 30-point quality inspections, including internal components and standard tests that simulate real-world usage. If it doesn’t work “like new,” it doesn’t get listed on the site. And by opting to pick up a quality used smartphone instead of a brand new one, you’re doing your small part to save the planet too. E-waste has become a significant environmental issue in recent years, and picking up a used device instead of a brand new one can help manage this problem. And you’re certainly not restricted to something basic like the iPhone 5 either. An iPhone 7 sells for as little as $314. When you start from a clean slate, after a full factory reset, a great device like that is more than enough for the average user. Contrast that to spending at least $1,379 on a brand new iPhone XS Max (with pricing that pushes almost into the $2,000 range). No, the iPhone 7 isn’t “new” anymore, but the iPhone 7 can still run all the apps you need it to run, it can still take amazing photos, and as far as I can surmise, it should continue to get software updates for years. Remember that iOS 12 was even pushed out to the iPhone 5S. CNET’s Patrick Holland says the iOS update “surprisingly breathes new life” into “the oldest iPhone able to run Apple’s newest OS.” That “old” phone still does everything it needs to do; it gains the new iOS 12 features, it’s “fast,” and it “never felt bogged down.” The bottom line is that when you pick up a late model smartphone from Orchard, you sacrifice almost nothing in terms of functionality, save hundreds of dollars, and preserve part of the planet too. Promotional consideration for this post was provided by Orchard. Share This With The World!
