More Americans are choosing to hang on to their old devices—sometimes for years beyond what manufacturers intended. Whether it’s an aging smartphone, a sluggish laptop, or a fading tablet, people are squeezing as much value as they can out of their electronics before considering a replacement.
For 69-year-old retiree Heather Mitchell in Tucson, Arizona, that choice is simple. Her Samsung Galaxy A71 has been with her for six years. Although the phone shows its age, she says its issues are minor and manageable. Buying a new one feels like an unnecessary stretch when she’s living on a fixed income. For her, upgrading is more of a long-term goal than an immediate need.
Mitchell’s habit reflects a broader shift. A survey from Reviews.org shows that the average American now keeps their smartphone for nearly 29 months—significantly higher than the roughly 22-month replacement cycle back in 2016. With many families concerned about rising expenses and economic uncertainty, electronic upgrades are often the first thing to be pushed off.
What Hanging On to Old Devices Means for the Economy
While holding onto gadgets longer may seem financially responsible for individuals, economists point out that the trend can drag down productivity—especially when businesses follow the same pattern.
A recent Federal Reserve study found that each year companies delay upgrading their equipment, productivity drops by around one-third of a percent. Over time, those delays add up. The report also points to investment patterns as a major reason why some economies outperform others. It estimates that if European countries had invested in equipment at the same pace as the U.S. since 2000, productivity gaps would be far smaller—by nearly a third for the U.K. and France, and more than double for Germany.
The takeaway is clear: old technology doesn’t just slow individuals down—it affects entire economic systems.
Older Devices Are Slowing Down Modern Networks
Technology experts say many aging devices simply were not engineered for the speed and performance expectations of today’s digital landscape.
Cassandra Cummings, CEO of New Jersey–based Thomas Instrumentation, notes how drastically internet speeds have transformed in the past decade. Ten years ago, 100 Mbps connections were considered fast. Today, gigabit internet—ten times faster—is increasingly common. But older devices can’t always keep up, and that mismatch creates strain.
Because network providers must support older hardware for compatibility, they often end up throttling system speeds to accommodate outdated devices. This can drag down entire sections of networks or slow internal company systems that rely on older equipment.
Cummings acknowledges the challenge: continuous upgrades are costly, especially for smaller businesses. She believes the industry should push for more repairable, modular hardware so users don’t have to buy brand-new devices every few years. Such designs might allow smaller upgrades—like replacing communication modules—without forcing consumers to invest in full replacements.
Refurbishment Grows as a Parallel Economy
Even as devices age, some entrepreneurs see opportunity. Steven Athwal, who runs The Big Phone Store in the U.K., says older phones and laptops still have plenty of life left—just not always for heavy workloads. Issues like slow processors or worn-out batteries can frustrate users, but they also fuel the refurbishing and repair market.
Athwal says that while the secondhand device market is growing rapidly, it’s still largely informal and underregulated. He believes governments and major tech companies could support a more structured refurbishment ecosystem by improving access to parts, standardizing repair processes, and extending software support. That could turn old devices into lasting assets rather than e-waste.
He argues that a strong circular economy would reduce financial strain on households and businesses and reduce the pressure to constantly buy new devices.
Manufacturers Still Tempt Consumers to Upgrade
Despite these long replacement cycles, tech giants continue to launch blockbuster products. Apple’s recent iPhone 17 rollout, for example, attracted strong demand, partially driven by new AI-powered features that require advanced hardware.
Najiba Benabess, dean of the business school at Neumann University, says the tension between high prices and sustainability concerns is feeding the trend of aging gadgets. However, she emphasizes that the economic costs of outdated devices are often overlooked. Slow systems can increase repair needs, limit access to new software, and lower efficiency—an issue that hits small businesses especially hard.
On a national scale, she warns, this gradually chips away at innovation and economic competitiveness.
Companies Face Their Own Upgrade Backlog
While individuals may crave new tech but avoid buying it, many companies are upgrading even more slowly. Jason Kornweiss of technology firm Diversified says many large organizations struggle to keep up with the speed of technological change. New systems require extensive vetting, and by the time companies finish evaluating a device, a newer one has already entered the market.
Employees, he says, often dread major tech refreshes and resist switching devices—even when upgrades offer significant performance boosts. This avoidance has measurable consequences. Diversified’s workplace research found that nearly a quarter of employees work late because of aging technology, and a large majority feel outdated tools stifle creativity and innovation.
Even though workers know older devices reduce productivity, the comfort of familiarity often wins out. Learning a new interface or migrating data can feel like an unnecessary hassle, leading many employees to cling to aging, inefficient equipment.
This reluctance, experts say, ultimately costs businesses in lost time and reduced output. Some companies are turning to alternatives such as bring-your-own-device programs or technology leasing to avoid large upfront costs.
