A recent report from Allied Market Research reveals compelling trends shaping the future of the pre‑owned smartphone ecosystem. According to the study:
For Cyculus, the European leader in automated device processing, the implications are clear: the demand curve is steep, the risk of inaction is high, and scale matters.
1. Cost‑efficient smartphone access
With new flagship devices costing upwards of €1,000, both individual consumers and enterprises are turning to refurbished and used devices as value‑rich alternatives. This price pressure helps explain part of the growth.
2. Rise of online platforms & trade‑in programmes
E‑commerce and trade‑in schemes have demystified pre‑owned devices, built consumer trust, and moved large volumes into the circular economy.
3. Sustainability and circular economy alignment
Reduced electronic waste (“e‑waste”) and resource conservation are becoming mainstream priorities. The pre‑owned device segment offers a tangible route to achieve these ESG goals.
Type and Application
Region
Strategic Opportunity
As volumes of pre‑owned devices rise, the bottleneck shifts from supply to processing infrastructure. Cyculus’ automation, AI‑driven grading and high‑volume throughput meet the scaling demands of this market.
Quality & Trust as Competitive Advantages
Despite growth, the report identifies lack of warranties and non‑genuine parts as key restraints in the market. By offering audited, traceable, industrial‑grade processing, Cyculus addresses both concerns.
Sustainability Credentials
With policy and regulation leaning heavily toward circular models, businesses are seeking partner processors who can demonstrate environmental value, reduce e‑waste, and offer transparent supply‑chain insights. Cyculus’ facility in Germany, combined with our Total Care service portfolio, places the company at the forefront of this wave.
Growth Readiness
With a forecast market size of nearly USD 146 billion by 2031, the urgency for scale, technology and certification cannot be overstated. Cyculus is already executing at this level, technology‑ready and market‑timed.
The Allied Market Research report confirms what Cyculus has long anticipated: the refurbished and used mobile phones market is expanding rapidly, consumers and businesses alike are shifting, and the processing layer is where the commercial and environmental returns will be captured.
If you are a reseller, operator, insurer or OEM looking to maximise margin, reduce risk and scale sustainably, Cyculus is ready to partner at the heart of this transformation.
To explore how Cyculus can support your device processing needs and unlock value from the pre‑owned market contact our team today.
At Cyculus, we believe every device deserves a second life. That’s why our Total Care Screen Restoration service delivers professional polishing and re‑glassing solutions designed to extend device lifecycles, increase resale value, and support sustainability across Europe.
Operating from our advanced facility near Stuttgart, Germany, Cyculus combines technology, speed, and precision to offer a seamless, high‑volume screen restoration process. Whether you’re a reseller, insurer, or trade‑in partner, our services are designed to restore pre‑owned smartphones to like‑new condition — quickly, affordably, and sustainably.
Our buff and polish service, powered by Renew Kings, removes low‑to‑mid‑level scratches and surface scuffs with fast, repeatable precision. This process restores display clarity and touch responsiveness, directly improving resale grades and margins.
Our re‑glassing service, delivered by ScreenTech and powered by Apkudo, replaces damaged glass while preserving the original LCD, OLED, or digitiser. The result is an OEM‑grade restoration, flawless visual performance, touch sensitivity, and colour accuracy, at a fraction of the cost and time of full screen replacement.
Cyculus Total Care is part of our wider circular technology ecosystem, built around automation, AI, and sustainable device lifecycle management. By offering polishing, re‑glassing, diagnostics, and cosmetic grading from a single location, we help partners recover more value while reducing waste.
📩 To learn more, receive a pricing quote, or arrange an operational trial, contact us here
GÖPPINGEN, GERMANY – Cyculus, Europe’s first independent fully automated Device Processing as a Service (DPaaS) provider, co-hosted the Vanta 2025 event alongside Apkudo at its cutting-edge facility. Over two days, more than 50 industry professionals from 8 countries gathered to explore the future of refurbished devices, automation, and the circular economy.
Vanta 2025 is a thought-leadership and live demonstration event focused on:
The event positioned Cyculus and Apkudo at the forefront of circular innovation, showing how automation, AI, and data transparency are transforming how devices are refurbished, resold, and reused.
The panel, moderated by Ben Wood, tackled the issue of “The Value Gap” in the secondary device market — and how greater automation and quality assurance can unlock better pricing and lower return rates.
The refurbished phone market is growing rapidly, but manual testing methods cannot scale effectively. Cyculus and Apkudo’s integrated AI and robotic solutions enable:
For businesses operating in the circular economy – whether OEMs, resellers, insurance providers or distributors – automation is now essential to meet market demand and regulatory standards.
Vanta 2025 was a pivotal moment in showcasing Europe’s leadership in sustainable tech processing. With growing demand for certified, refurbished smartphones and the need to reduce e-waste, Cyculus is shaping the future of circular electronics.
At Cyculus, we’re committed to delivering the most advanced and sustainable solutions for processing mobile devices. That’s why we’re proud to announce the integration of ScreenTech, a re-glassing solution powered by Apkudo, into our Total Care portfolio.
Launching this October, this new capability enables us to offer OEM-grade screen repairs at scale, combining performance, precision, and commercial viability in one seamless service.
Part of the Powered by Apkudo ecosystem, ScreenTech leverages cutting-edge technology to restore mobile device displays to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standards. By carefully separating damaged glass from LCD, OLED or digitiser components, and then reassembling with new glass, the process preserves original functionality while reducing waste.
Because it’s fully integrated into the Apkudo platform, the entire process is traceable via the Device Passport, giving customers complete transparency over every repaired unit.
For high-volume operators, this service offers a commercially viable alternative to full screen replacement. The software and hardware used by ScreenTech ensure consistent results across thousands of devices, a perfect match for Cyculus’ automated workflows and high-throughput processing lines.
By reducing the need for replacement parts and extending the usable life of each device, our new re-glassing capability further supports our partners’ sustainability goals and profitability targets.
“This integration is a natural next step in our mission to redefine device processing through automation, precision, and sustainability,” said Fergal Donovan, CEO and Co-Founder of Cyculus. “ScreenTech adds real value to our Total Care suite, offering a smarter, greener and more commercially sound alternative to traditional screen replacements.”
As more businesses embrace circular strategies, Cyculus continues to lead by example, delivering innovations that improve recovery rates, reduce waste, and keep devices in use for longer.
Screen re-glassing powered by Apkudo will be available to all Cyculus customers from October 2025.
We’re delighted to share some incredible news from Berlin, where Cyculus proudly claimed not one, but two prestigious awards at the Circular Tech Awards 2025. As a Circular Tech Awards Winner, Cyculus was recognised in front of an audience of more than 250 guests, including leaders from across the tech, telecoms and sustainability sectors, taking home the trophies for both the Innovation and Diagnostics categories, a clear signal that our approach to automated device processing is making a meaningful impact.
Winning the Innovation Award affirms our belief that automation and AI will define the future of circular electronics. At Cyculus, we’ve built a platform that offers more than just testing, it delivers full-stack, precision-driven, end-to-end processing of used devices at scale, establishing us as a tech awards winner in the circular tech field.
Our state-of-the-art facility in Germany features a nine-stage processing line powered by Apkudo technology, combining robotics, vision systems, AI-driven diagnostics, and real-time reporting. Whether it’s smartphones, tablets, or smartwatches, every device entering our system is handled with unmatched consistency and care, helping partners reduce waste, cut costs, and increase resale value with confidence.
The Diagnostics Award recognised our ability to go beyond traditional device testing. While many platforms focus on pass/fail outcomes, Cyculus, as a tech awards winner, uses controlled environments, intelligent tools, and data-driven analysis to deliver richer diagnostics that drive smarter business decisions.
Our audio cell, for example, uses calibrated external speakers and microphones to detect nuanced faults, an impossible task in a noisy warehouse. Our display testing captures detailed defect data, informing repair decisions rather than guessing. We also generate up to 14 high-resolution images per device, supporting resale listings and quality assurance.
These awards mark an important milestone in our journey, and a wider shift in the industry. As circular technology gains momentum, stakeholders across the chain, from resellers and insurers to OEMs and marketplaces, are looking for trusted, intelligent, and scalable partners. This important shift is underscored by the Circular Tech Awards, which we proudly won.
At Cyculus, we’re proud to be leading the charge.
🔗 Learn more about our award-winning services
At Cyculus, we’ve always believed that technology should drive progress in the circular economy, and our partnership with Apkudo proves exactly that. We’re delighted to see Apkudo highlight our journey on their website — a testament to what happens when innovation meets purpose.
Apkudo’s feature on Cyculus celebrates a shared vision: creating a future where devices are tested, graded, and recirculated with unmatched precision. Together, we’re demonstrating that advanced robotics, AI-driven analytics, and automation can transform how pre‑owned devices are processed.
“Being powered by Apkudo allows us to deliver consistent, transparent, and scalable results for our customers — setting a new benchmark in device processing.”
— Fergal Donovan, CEO of Cyculus Services GmbH
The article showcases how Cyculus has embraced Apkudo’s cutting‑edge platform to drive efficiency and sustainability across Europe. Here’s why it matters:
Apkudo’s partnership with Cyculus underlines that our Device Processing as a Service (DPaaS) model is redefining standards in the secondary market. From insurers and operators to resellers and OEMs, our partners can now rely on scalable technology without the need for heavy capital investment.
Being featured on Apkudo’s site isn’t just a milestone — it’s a signal of where the industry is heading. Together, we’re innovating, automating, and recirculating to build a smarter, greener future for mobile devices.
👉 Read the full feature on Apkudo’s website here.
If you’d like help unlocking the full value of your device inventory, let’s talk. We’re ready to show you what’s possible when your business is powered by Cyculus — and powered by Apkudo.