Mobixa Tells You When to Upgrade Your Smartphone

Kira M. Newman Nov 19, 2012 Tweet

Mobixa launches today to help smartphone owners make the best choices about when to sell and upgrade their phones.

Many people leave money on the table when they discard their old phones or sell them at the wrong time. When’s the best time to upgrade? Does it ever make sense to cancel a contract with your carrier? Mobixa answers these questions and more – questions that carriers don’t have an incentive to answer, says CEO David Safai.

“The major carriers advertise so aggressively that it’s very difficult for the consumer,” he says.

Mobixa starts by understanding your unique situation, including:

• What phone you have;
• Your carrier;
• When your upgrade date is;
• When your contact expires; and
• What phone you want to buy.

Based on that information, it can tell you how much your phone is worth and send recommendations on when to upgrade. It can even notify you when you should call your carrier to get a cheaper plan, or free data. Once you’re ready to sell, Mobixa creates a shipping label and you can send off your phone in a box.

Mobixa spun off in September from IMC Inc., a Los Angeles company that has been refurbishing mobile phone handsets for 11 years. In 2011 alone, they paid over $31 to buyback used phones.

Because of their long history and connections within the industry, Mobixa claims to pay $25 to $100 more than other buyback sites. For example, for an iPhone 4 (16 GB, Verizon) in good condition, Mobixa offers $135, while Amazon offers $136 (in Amazon credit), Gazelle offers $100, and GameStop offers around $50. You can also get deals on new smartphones from Mobixa, like the Samsung Galaxy.

Mobixa even buys cracked or dead phones – so don’t throw that old phone in the trash.