Why pre-loved tech is having a moment in Asia

IN SEPTEMBER, Apple released its new iPhone 15 amid the usual worldwide blaze of publicity that has become a familiar trope in the world of iterative smartphone upgrades. This time around, the fanfare surrounding the iPhone 15 was a little more lukewarm. Make no mistake, crowds still flocked to Apple stores worldwide – but it seems that the fervour has toned down somewhat compared to a decade ago, as the sheen of new tech begins to wear off amid a climate of intensifying distrust towards the profit machine of Big Tech.

Indeed, a significant portion of this year’s queue at the Singapore Apple store consisted of foreign tourists looking to resell the smartphone in their home countries. Elsewhere in Shanghai, the mixed reception to the newest iPhone – compounded by the booming success of domestic rival Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro – saw even the most diehard Apple fans express reservations about future upgrades.

The new iPhone also sports some unexpected changes in the hardware, most notably the European Union-mandated introduction of the USB-C port. With users no longer having to solely rely on Apple’s Lightning cords for charging, it marks the potential loosening of the tech giant’s closed ecosystem as a strategy to foster customer reliance and loyalty.