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From skepticism to sustainability: changing perceptions of refurbished phones
(www.techradar.com)
Tip 1: Fairphones,Iphones,Pixels and Samsung phones are the best for long term software support.
Tip 2: Opt for a phone brand that is repairable and has a unlockable bootloader.
Tip 3: Install linux on your phone to keep getting software support.
My main concern would be worn flash chips that can make the phone slow, and possibly cell radios no longer supported. My Note 3 is banned from Australia networks due to no VoLTE capability.
Sorry for speculations (anyone wishing to share the statistics/data?), but i strongly suspect, most phones are discarded after they are physically damaged (think: broken screen), stop receiving support or due to the perceived need for more storage (for selfies and cat videos).
I don't believe "worn out flash chips" is a massive problem. First time i see it being mentioned, actually. ๐