Nokia and Samsung have been slugging it out for the world championship in the mobile phone and Smartphone sales leader board. It hasn’t been pretty, but it is the consumer who has benefited as new, more agile, and 4G-compatible handsets have been launched. Samsung won the last round in 2011, but it remains to be seen if Nokia can bounce back and take the next round to lead the field again. The world waits with bated breath.

The Fight Continues

Like two battling gladiators of old, the two giants of the global mobile and Smartphone industry have been slugging it out to see who would become the world leader. On top of that you have Apple, LG, Blackberry and others adding their combined weight to the industry, which has resulted in two billion handsets sold around the world in 2011. Estimates for this year are being put at two-and-a-half billion.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

Sales of handsets are being pushed by special offers and cut-price deals with handsets supplied on contracts with increasing numbers of minutes and texts per month. This means there are increasing numbers of people upgrading their phones on an increasingly regular basis. As a consequence, there are more redundant handsets available, and this has helped bring down the cost of second-hand mobile phones and Smartphones.

Another bonus for owners of handsets which are damaged, broken, or stolen means anyone who can sell Nokia E72 for recycling has helped bring down the cost of spare parts for handsets. Recycling electronic equipment is now a growing industry backed by legislation. In 2007 the WEEE, or to give it its full title the Waste and Electronic Equipment, regulations have helped reduce the numbers of redundant electronic equipment entering landfill by massive numbers.

Consumer Benefits

The benefits to consumers are many, but it mostly means instead of stores benefiting from your old handsets and Smartphones, you now get to reap the rewards. Depending on the age, the make, or model of your handset, you can expect anything from a few pounds to three-digit figures. Those among us who are gadget groupies and need a new phone fix every few months can expect the lion’s share.

Changing phones and handsets is now almost a fashion statement, with younger people making the biggest impact. A generation which has grown up without knowing what it is like to NOT have mobile phones, computers. and laptops is fuelling a huge demand for new model phones AND, for those with less money to spare, a brisk trade in second-hand phones.

One thing is for certain; the market will continue to expand for several years to come and certainly until the technology changes. While phone manufacturers continue to tempt us with their latest offerings, consumers now have a greater opportunity than ever of offsetting the cost of new phones and handsets for quite some time to come.

Author Bio:

Graham Green is a freelance writer and gadget groupie and has recently been investigating how consumers can sell Nokia E72 handsets and others to make a little money on redundant technology.