Good for Mother Nature? RAM-pocalyse encourages millions to recycle their old devices as expert says 'economics of…

• AI memory demand is making even broken smartphones increasingly valuable to buyers
• Old phones are gaining value as replacement components become harder to source
• Grade D devices remain abundant despite stronger prices for salvageable hardware

A global shortage of memory chips driven by artificial intelligence demand is pushing millions of consumers toward the resale market.

Owners who once let broken or outdated smartphones sit in drawers are now finding that even damaged units carry unexpected monetary value.

Buyers across the refurbishment and repair industries are competing for parts that were previously considered worthless scrap.

Salvage values climb as parts become scarce

Marketplace figures from B-Stock, a large business-to-business platform for used smartphones, show pricing for both Apple and Samsung devices rose in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the prior two quarters.

Grade D handsets, the lowest condition tier, made up the bulk of units sold last year,...

Copyright of this story solely belongs to www.techradar.com. To see the full text click HERE