While "smartphones" have been around for more than a decade, the current paradigm of smartphones, essentially a computer in your pocket with app ecosystems, began with the introduction of the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)'s iPhone.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expert at stoking desire, seducing consumers to line up and pay a premium for its newest models. At the moment, though, the hottest iPhones are less expensive—and old. Sales of refurbished iPhone 4’s and 4S’s are booming among price-conscious shoppers, especially in fast-growing emerging markets, and U.S. phone companies are racing to outdo one another with trade-in deals for customers willing to part with those models.


