Replacement Cycle

The replacement cycle is the time between buying a device and buying the device that replaces it. If you get a tablet in 2024 and its replacement in 2028, the replacement cycle is four years. It is not the same as how long the device lasts: it is the gap between the two purchases.

Why devices get replaced

Components can stop working: a charging port may wear out or a battery may stop holding charge, and a repair may cost more than the device is worth. Newer software may also need more advanced hardware, so an older processor struggles with a demanding program and you replace the machine to keep up.

Short and long cycles

A shorter cycle means factories make more devices and more old ones are discarded. That increases demand for raw materials such as metals in circuit boards and glass in screens. It also means more factory energy and water, more chemicals, more delivery journeys, and more e-waste going to landfill or unsafe processing, which can cause pollution. A longer cycle reduces these demands because fewer devices are built and fewer are thrown away.

For example, a small bakery replaces its till tablets every three years instead of every six. Over twelve years it buys four sets rather than two, so twice as many tablets are manufactured and discarded. That means more metal and glass taken from the ground, more energy and water used in factories, and more e-waste to dispose of. A longer cycle therefore usually lowers environmental impact.