HYLA Mobile is one of the world's leading providers of software technology and service for mobile device trade-in and reuse solutions. HYLA recognizes the latent value in preowned mobile devices which is often widely underutilized. HYLA collects pre-owned devices through operator, OEM or retailer-led trade-in programs. Currently, our services are in over 15,000 retail locations. As part of these programs, HYLA is responsible for inspecting devices for quality and preparing them for resale. We work with numerous wholesalers and entities around the world who procure the devices from us in order to get low-cost, quality devices into emerging markets.
HYLA’s overall purpose is to put preowned devices, via a secondary market, into the hands of people that need them. In doing so, HYLA addresses two key challenges: Bringing connectivity to the un-connected and protecting the environment.
Internet connectivity is truly transformative, but global internet penetration rate is just 59%—meaning almost half of the world’s population is not digitally connected.
Mobile broadband solves this problem, especially in emerging markets where fixed network infrastructure isn’t available. But mobile devices are too often unaffordable for too many people. Flagship devices from premium OEMs, that enable the App ecosystem, are especially expensive.
Mobile devices have transformed the lives of millions in emerging markets by providing a connection with the outside world, many for the first time. Smartphones help them conduct business, transfer money, gain access to educational programs, and improve access to healthcare.
The second problem HYLA is tackling is reducing the harmful environmental impact smartphones are having on our planet. The production of a single smartphone requires 34kg of ore to be mined, uses 100 liters of water and 20.5g of cyanide. With analyst firm Canalys stating that nearly 1.4 billion smartphones were sold globally in 2019, 47 billion kg of ore would have had to have been mined, using 140 billion liters of water and 28.7 million kg of cyanide.
But it’s not simply the production of smartphones that is harming the planet—the disposal of devices is having an impact too. According to the World Economic Forum, last year e-waste reached 53.6 million tons—but less than a fifth of all e-waste is formally recycled.
Extending the lifecycle of mobile devices, giving them multiple lives, has had positive impacts on our environment from reduced e-waste in our landfills, avoidance of our waters from being further polluted, and reduced carbon emissions from mining less resources to produce new devices.
To date (2009 thru 2Q20), HYLA has repurposed 61.7M devices, diverted 27.8M pounds of e-waste, avoided 766B gallons of water from being polluted, put $6.3B back to consumers and brought connectivity to 45.4M consumers.
We are proud to be part of an ecosystem of those practicing responsible consumption and reduction starting with consumers who decide to trade-in their phones when they upgrade, to those that are providing the consumers incentives to do the trade and our wholesale partners on the backend that export these devices globally.
HYLA’s business model is a win-win for all parties involved. It is a win for the consumers that use these trade-in programs, as they receive money for their old devices that would otherwise languish in drawers or cupboards or worse, get thrown out ending up in landfills. It is a win for those in emerging worlds, who are able to own a high-end mobile device for a fraction of the original retail price and access a multitude of digital services. And finally, it is a win for the environment, reducing the need for new devices to be manufactured, and ensuring devices stay out of landfill.
