5: Use

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Pathway sections

1

Introduction

2

Extraction

3

Manufacturing

4

Transportation

5

Use

6

Disposal

7

Solutions

Section 5 of 7

Use: Phones in the Zone

At this point in the supply chain, the mobile phone and battery have made their way to the end user: you!

Make an estimate: How many mobile phones do you think are being used in the world today?

Where are the most mobile phones in the world used?

Resources in this pathway

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Engage

Pictured below is a map of the world that describes how many mobile phones are in each country.

What patterns do you notice? What countries have the most mobile phones?

Asset: Mobile Phone Usage

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There are more than 3 billion mobile phones in the world today. Below is a bar graph illustrating the number of smartphones that people have bought per year between 2007 and 2023.

What story does this data tell you?
What do you think are some real-world causes for the trends you notice?

Explore

Before and after lithium-ion batteries

Asset: Use

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New interactive: Checklist of mobile phone functionalities

Asset: Use

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Explore

Can you think of anything else you can do with your phone? Which phone do you think would be able to do that?

Alarm clock
Check schedule
Check messages
Unplug your phone
Put it in backpack for school
Dropped it

Check time
Message friends
Access assignments
Flashcards stored on phone
Record data in lab
Timer
It’s time to stand up
Use weird charger from friend – phone gets hot

GPS/Maps
Play music
Track your location
Play games
Stream shows
Charging station
Friend shows off their new phone – now you’re jealous

QR code menu
Text friends to ask their order
Pay for food with cc on phone – data privacy alert!!
Vlog your outing
Watch videos while out
Check the bus schedule
Phone runs out of battery while out

Explain

Based on the scenes above, create a list of benefits and drawbacks of li-ion batteries in our mobile devices.

Asset: Use

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The average lifespan of a phone is between 15 months and 2.5 years.

The lifespan of your smartphone depends on how you handle your device.

Did you know?:

19% of people drop their phones into the toilet.

Source: CNET, 2011

Did you know?:

In many phones, the most expensive part is the screen.

Source: PCMag, 2018

Did you know?:

In the United States, consumers spend over $3.4 billion a year replacing cracked screens.

Source: MarketWatch, 2018

Did you know?:

Every hour in the United States alone, 5,761 screens are cracked. That is nearly two per second, and it amounts to approximately 50 million cracked screens a year.

Source: Android Authority, 2018

Did you know?:

There are over 300 parts in each mobile phone. If any of these parts fail, they can cause your smartphone to cease to function.

Source: SourceMap, 2017

Asset: Broken Phone Fast Facts