It used to be the cast that you recycled a basic phone whether it was a flip phone or just all one piece.  These basic phones had few capabilities compared to what we have now so they were sold at lower costs.  Now, most of the phones on the market are close to £400 or more.  With the rise in the cost of new mobile phones, it has meant a change for the mobile phone recycling industry because phones are given to mobile recyclers and then refurbished for sale again. The iPhone 4 is two years old and still earns £200 on resale. Most phones have increased from £60 at a refurbishment rate to £101.

Mobile phones are not losing their value as much as the older versions.  This is mostly due to the need for everyone to have a smartphone but also being able to afford a new phone, as it is easier to buy a refurbished phone on a two year contract, or even outright.  These older phones are also still in good working order.  Unless the phones are no longer working, during recycling, they can be dumped with the data and a new SIM card can be installed.  The buyer will not notice any problems with the phone in most cases and even if there are issues, there is insurance to cover it.  The only reason most phones are recycled now is due to newer models with better updates being on the market.