The implementation of a European directive that is favorable to consumers on paper could have harmful consequences on the reconditioned iPhone market. Explanations.
Treat yourself to a iPhone is not within the reach of all budgets. Apple has been selling its smartphones at high prices for many years and the trend is not drastically downward. This is why many people turn to older models and, to save as much money as possible, do not hesitate to buy them second-hand. It is therefore no coincidence that the 5 best-selling refurbished smartphones of 2023 are iPhones. But this market could well be threatened by a European directive.
It does not directly target refurbished iPhones since it concerns the text requiring the USB-C port on small and medium-sized electronic devices from the end of 2024 (2026 for laptops). It was he who pushed Apple to abandon the Lightning port on the iPhone 15. In itself, it is a good thing to universalize the method of charging smartphones and others, but why is it a danger for refurbished mobiles from the bitten apple brand?
Refurbished iPhones could be banned in France, here’s why
The text, which in France takes the form of a decree and an order, means thatit will be illegal to import non-compliant devices like the iPhone 14 and earlier, without a USB-C port. In addition, it requires that the equipment “put on the market” are equipped with it. And technically, we can consider a refurbished smartphone as placed on the market. This is what makes it possible to tax it again on private copying, for example.
In other words, in addition to not being able to sell used iPhones recovered in other countries, in theory it would no longer even be possible to offer those that come from us. These two interpretations would lead to a considerable drop in choice on the used iPhone market. For the moment, it is not certain that the text will be applied in this way, but the fact remains that while waiting for possible clarifications, the risk remains real.
Source: Mobile Services
