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When it comes to new technology, cost is very often the biggest source of anxiety for today’s consumer. In an era of economic volatility and uncertainty, the ability to purchase new tech, like a laptop, smartphone, or tablet, can depend heavily on external factors such as inflation and supply chain reliability, which play a major role in cost and consumer spending power.

According to Assurant data, 44% of tech users surveyed expressed concern over the cost of new technology, while 27% say the cost of newly announced devices or upgrades is a major obstacle to purchase. Further, nearly half (49%) of tech users said they are interested in upgrades but hesitate or refrain due to cost. Overall, cost is consistently the most negatively perceived factor in the adoption of new technology.

Despite these sentiments, smartphone and related technology are an increasingly essential component of business, academic, and personal day-to-day life. For most, access to connected technology is nonnegotiable, and with the rise of AI-enabled features creating more intuitive user experiences, the ability to leverage the most up-to-date technology is only becoming more critical.

Caught between cost pressures and the desire to upgrade, many consumers have turned to the secondary device market as an alternative when budgets are stretched. To meet that demand, carriers and retailers have made considerable strides to enhance and streamline trade-in and upgrade programs that provide access to reliable, advanced, and affordable pre-owned devices.

These programs are growing in scale and importance, not just for cost-conscious consumers, but also for the carriers themselves, who leverage them to foster stronger, long-term relationships with their customers while recovering value from these assets.

When purchasing devices on the secondary market, consumers can save hundreds of dollars on smartphones that look and feel brand new, have the most popular features, have been securely wiped of data, and completely refurbished.

For multi-user families or avid tech users purchasing multiple devices, the compound savings of leveraging secondhand tech can be substantial, amounting to hundreds of dollars per device. In 2024, the average U.S. value of trading in an iPhone was $204, while the average U.S. value of trading in an Android was $105, according to Assurant data.

For consumers facing rising costs for basic goods, leveraging trade-in programs to earn money from used devices can take a $700 device to a $500 one, creating surplus that can be distributed to cover groceries, student loans, or other bills. In 2024 alone, more than $4.5 billion was returned to consumers through trade-in and buyback programs, as indicated by Assurant data.

With the uncertainty of today’s economic climate, it’s not surprising that the secondary device market continues to grow. GSMA projects that by 2027 the market will reach $150 billion globally, and it will only continue to expand as consumer costs rise and device and trade-in programs become increasingly sophisticated.

Beyond cost concerns, these programs also appeal to the growing number of consumers concerned about reusing resources, seeking to maximize value while minding their environmental impact. According to GSMA, 70% of global consumers surveyed would be willing to spend more for environmentally conscious devices.

Today’s tech users can trade in their used devices knowing that it will make a positive environmental impact, with the assurance that there is no risk to their personal data or security. Current trade-in programs accept an increasingly wide range of devices, even of older generations, to be either refurbished and resold or responsibly recycled if repair is not feasible. In the case of the latter, parts and materials are leveraged throughout the recycling process to be repurposed in other devices wherever possible.

Complementing environmental sustainability, social sustainability also plays a role in the secondary device market. Both globally and domestically, the secondary market ensures these devices become far more accessible and affordable for individuals around the world who may otherwise be priced out of adopting newer technologies – expanding connectivity on a global scale.

While a majority of consumers understand that trading in their devices can lead to sustainability benefits, the biggest barriers to broader adoption of secondhand devices today are centered around a lack of awareness about the quality and array of technology available, the ease and financial benefits trading in old devices, and how easy and secure the process can really be.

As technology continues to become more deeply entrenched in our daily lives and the cost of new devices continues to increase, we will see continued growth in the secondary market. Cost will always play a key role in consumers’ purchasing decisions, but as the success and growing size of secondary device programs proves, consumers are also swayed by compelling, mission-driven options – especially those that align with a lower price tag.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

TechRadar Pro is live at London Tech Week 2025!

We're here in London to see all the latest talks, panels and news announcements as they happen.

Day one promises to be a bit of a blockbuster, with some very special guests, so stay tuned for all the updates as we see them!

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of London Tech Week 2025!

We're live on the ground and ready for the event, which kicks off today at London's Olympia with a welcome from the Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

That's followed by no less than the CEO of Nvidia himself - Jensen Huang will be on stage soon. It's bound to be a busy talk, so we're hoping we can get in and seated soon...

We've made it inside Olympia, but the queues for this morning's opening sessions are going to be major...wish us luck!

The stairway to (London Tech Week) heaven...

• Nvidia and UK government announce new AI ties
• Jensen Huang joins UK PM Keir Starmer on stage at London Tech Week 2025
• New projects include AI for financial firms, and skills training

Nvidia has announced new partnerships with the UK government and financial regulators to expand the use of AI tools.

The company has revealed new collaborations with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on using AI in workflows.

Nvidia says the move, which also includes the establishment of the ‘U.K. Sovereign AI Industry Forum’ to accelerate the country's AI ecosystem, looks to further its ambition for Britain to be an “AI maker, not an AI taker.”

The news was announced by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at London Tech Week 2025, where he joined UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson on stage.

Starmer and Huang both agreed the UK need to 'lean in' to AI, arguing it will make the country more secure, with cybersecurity protections and economic growth.

To support this, a new UK Nvidia AI Technology Center will look to offer "hands-on" training in AI, data science and accelerated computing, focusing on foundation model builders, embodied AI, materials science and earth systems modeling.

A new AI-powered digital sandbox powered by Nvidia and the FAC will offer financial services firms a "digital testing environment", allowing them the chance to try out new AI initatives and services.

And the company will be working with DSIT to give UK universities access to AI tools, 6G research platforms and training resources to help boost research and development on AI-native wireless networks.

“We have big plans when it comes to developing the next wave of AI innovations here in the U.K. — not only so we can deliver the economic growth needed for our Plan for Change, but maintain our position as a global leader,” UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle added.

“Central to that is making sure we have the infrastructure to power AI, so I welcome NVIDIA setting up the U.K. Sovereign AI Industry Forum — bringing together leading British businesses to develop and deploy this across the U.K. so we can drive growth and opportunity.”

• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang wants it to be so much more than a chip maker
• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says it's time to get on board with AI now, or be left behind
• Dell CEO tells us how AI can make us “more effective as a species”

• The SwitchBot Multitasking Household Robot K20+ Pro is now on sale
• It comprises a robovac with a platform onto which various appliances can be attached
• It can operate as a mobile fan, air purifier, and more

Most robot vacuums are content just to take care of cleaning your floors. Not so the SwitchBot K20+ Pro. This new robovac can operate not only as a vacuum, but also a fan, air purifier, or delivery service.

The setup comprises a compact robot vacuum, onto which clips the 'FusionPlatform'. The platform then becomes a base for various other appliances, and the robovac becomes the wheels that drive the whole setup around.

It's compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, for seamless smart home integration, and some docked appliance functions can be automated as part of the SwitchBot ecosystem too. Because the whole thing sits on top of a robot vacuum, you'll get all the tech that comes with that, too: precise LiDAR navigation, mapping, and object avoidance (SwitchBot makes some of today's best robot vacuums for small homes – get a taster in our SwitchBot K10+ Pro Mini review).

The K20+ Pro was first unveiled at CES 2025 back in January, and as of today, it's on sale across the US, UK and Europe. You can pick the kit that suits your needs, with prices starting from $699.99 / £599.99 / €599.99.

For example, the K20+ Pro Air Flow Kit includes a the SwitchBot Battery Circulator Fan, enabling you to live out your Mariah Carey fantasies by following you around and acting as your own personal wind machine as you move from room to room.

Alternatively, the Patrol Kit includes a SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam, and offers real-time monitoring and motion detection in your home, with instant notifications if there's any disruption.

There's also the K20+ Pro Air Purifier Kit, whereby the bot dons an air purifier hat. You can then drive it from room to room to clear the air of any nasties – perhaps remotely, while you're out of the house.

The simplest but perhaps the most useful integration is simply a table, which turns the bot into a 'Smart Delivery Assistant'. It can be used to deliver food, packages, or pretty much anything you'd like – provided it weighs less than 8kg. There's scope here for the K20+ to be useful for those with mobility limitations.

If you're particularly tech-savvy, the setup also supports DIY customization and third-party devices, so you can hack the system to help it suit your own specific needs. SwitchBot suggests you might want to add things like speakers or UV sterilization lamps.

• DJI's first robot vacuum is edging closer to launch, according to new leak – and it could clean up in the premium robovac space
• I spent two weeks with the world's first robovac with a mechanical arm, and unfortunately it's not that handy yet
• I've seen most of 2025’s flagship robot vacuums and let me tell you, things are starting to get weird

• Hollow Knight: Silksong appeared in the recent Xbox Games Showcase
• It will be available on the upcoming Xbox Asus ROG Ally and Xbox Asus ROG Ally X on day one
• The developers have since confirmed that it will be out by the winter holiday

One of the most surprising parts of the recent Xbox Games Showcase was the reveal of new Xbox handheld PCs, the Xbox Asus ROG Ally and Xbox Asus ROG Ally X, and the confirmation that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be available on them at launch.

Information regarding the highly anticipated metroidvania game, which was originally announced all the way back in 2019, has been extremely infrequent, with many fans speculating that it might not ever come out at all.

In April 2025, we got our first good look at the title in years as part of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, which featured a few seconds of gameplay footage and confirmed a 2025 release window. Then, yesterday, we saw a little more again in the Xbox show, coupled with the news that it will be available on the upcoming Xbox handhelds at launch.

The handhelds are expected to release later this year, around the holiday period. It follows that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be out by then, a fact that was recently reaffirmed by the development team.

Speaking on the official Hollow Knight Discord server, publishing and marketing lead Matthew Griffin stated that the game will be out "before [the] holiday" and that "we are not tied to a console release."

He soon followed up this message with a small clarification, confirming that the "holiday" he is referring to is "Christmas".

This is yet more confirmation that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be out soon, giving us a release window between now and mid December. Hopefully we'll get more information, and maybe even an exact release date, in the weeks and months to come.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is set to come to Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC. It will be available as part of Xbox Game Pass on day one.

• Nintendo Switch 2 review-in-progress live: my thoughts, reactions, and experience with the console and its games
• Xbox Games Showcase 2025: everything revealed from Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Persona 4 remake to a new handheld
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 officially announced and it stars that one Gilmore Girls actor

GenAI adoption has significantly escalated the urgency of cloud security. PwC’s recent Cloud and AI Business Survey revealed that cloud computing budgets are on a steep rise, with only 5% of the companies surveyed, reporting they don’t yet use the public cloud. However, this surge in cloud spending is not without its risks, as major security breaches are also on the rise.

According to Thales’ latest Cloud Security Study, 44% of organizations have experienced a cloud data breach over the last year, with a third of breaches a result of misconfigurations or human error.

Amidst these challenges, businesses are in dire need of a solution that can bolster their cloud security without draining resources that could be invested in AI development. Could FinOps be the long-awaited answer that organizations have been searching for?

It's difficult for businesses to manage the data being processed by the cloud without a clear strategy. FinOps is a way to approach your cloud security while managing cloud costs, ensuring its usage is both cost and waste-efficient. Bringing together security, engineering, and financial teams, it defines new ‘best practices’ for organizations to work from.

The variable spending model of the cloud can soon spiral out of control, which is where the financial accountability of FinOps comes into play. But while it hinges on cost optimization, it also brings a wealth of benefits for cloud security.

One of FinOps's central tenets is resource management — comprehensive resource reviews are the best way to identify unused or overprovisioned cloud resources. Addressing these doesn’t just save budgets; it also eliminates security risks that could leave organizations vulnerable. Closing down or folding these workstreams into more robust cloud resources vastly reduces the potential attack surface for threat actors, improving overall security hygiene.

When looking more widely at FinOps, the overarching theme is accountability. This can be financial, but it naturally translates into security. FinOps demands that engineers be transparent, aligning their spending with the wider business strategy. This visibility brings financial benefits but also supports security teams, who can track spend and resources down to specific owners, making it easier for security policies to be enforced.

Furthermore, it encourages tracking data, making unauthorized cloud usage that could indicate a breach more visible. This accountability also optimizes multi-cloud management - with all moving parts accounted for, environments can be managed more efficiently, decreasing the risk of misconfiguration.

The FinOps approach is not just a technical solution, but also a cultural transformation tool for organizational security. The cross-team collaboration it fosters puts accountability at the core of an organization. By ensuring that finance, engineering, and security all work closely together to promote a ‘FinOps first’ approach, the organization guarantees that security is carefully considered in all cloud architecture decisions.

Also, with cost accountability embedded in an organization's culture, individuals are incentivized to follow best practices to ensure their resource responsibilities are not wasteful or a security weak point.

With this in mind, it’s worth noting that how you implement the FinOps approach is crucial to reaping its full rewards. It needs to be introduced step-by-step to become ingrained in organizational culture. This has to start from the base by establishing a cross-company FinOps team.

By including all teams, organizations can ensure equal weighting for competing priorities and that siloed decision-making doesn’t pose security risks or run up costs. Organizing teams as such vastly reduces the likelihood of misconfiguration and, by proxy, unnecessary expenses.

In practical terms, the work of this internal FinOps group could be varied. For instance, embedding cost management tools alongside security monitoring tools is a great baseline to ensure they don’t exist in a vacuum, and both readings are evaluated together.

Enforcing resource tagging is also good practice, as it enables cost tracking and the quick identification of security risks. Setting up budget alerts that detect cost anomalies, which are often accrued when threat actors manipulate security vulnerabilities, like in the case of cryptojacking, is sensible.

These pre-emptive measures should be used alongside automation. By using policy-as-code tools, organizations can automate some aspects of the governance of security and costs. This could be done by setting limits on resources to prevent overprovisioning, applying least-privilege security access as a standard, or mandating encryption and secure configurations across cloud workloads.

The last and most important step is to ensure that these FinOps principles are consistently applied, monitored, and optimized. If applied continuously and efficiently, the FinOps approach brings significant cost and security benefits. Regular reviews of cloud usage are essential, consistently eliminating inefficient cloud resources and boosting overall security hygiene simultaneously.

Not only does it help organizations avoid unnecessary costs, but it also addresses security vulnerabilities immediately, providing ongoing reassurance of the system's robustness. Ultimately, relying on FinOps is not just a strategy, but your best bet against the many cyber adversaries. It's a comprehensive approach that not only manages costs but also enhances security, making your organization more resilient and secure in the face of evolving cyber threats.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro