“This isn’t just a facility—it’s a reimagination of what technology and sustainability can achieve together,” said Yug Bhatia, the founder of Control Z, a startup that specialises in renewing used smartphones and other digital devices. On November 20, the company introduced Renew Hub, an eco-friendly facility that blends the corporate office environment with nature.
Since its inception four years ago, Bhatia’s company has been working towards the larger goal of reducing e-waste. They are strong advocates for the adoption of refurbished devices and with Renew Hub, the company is looking to show that it is possible to combine technology with sustainability.
“By blending AI-powered precision with eco-conscious innovation, we’re not only setting new benchmarks for the industry but also making high-quality, renewed smartphones accessible to more people,” Bhatia told indianexpress.com. He added that what sets Control Z apart is its “commitment to creating a circular economy—where resources are preserved, waste is minimised, and every choice contributes to a smarter, greener future.”
Control Z offers 18-month warranty on used smartphones, which is longer than the official warranty period. (Image Credit: Control Z)
The shift to used devices
With the number of smartphone users increasing rapidly in India, many people are now transitioning to premium devices. However, not everyone has the money to buy a new flagship Android phone or the latest iPhone.
Unsurprisingly, a sizeable amount of the Indian population is turning to the used smartphone market, with Apple iPhones accounting for almost 25 per cent of used smartphones. Control Z, a new player in the segment is trying to disrupt the used smartphone market by offering 18 months of warranty on used iPhones, which is longer than Apple’s official warranty period.
Control Z’s Renew Hub, where the refurbishing of smartphones happens, has been built using bamboo and mud. It is packed with advanced machines that help them assemble and disassemble iPhones, while also replacing parts like batteries.
The company says they perform more than 300 checks on used smartphones before they are available for purchase on the website. Bhatia said that smartphones often have a lifespan of around 10 years, but most of them are either sold or discarded for various reasons. When asked about why they are focusing on iPhones, Bhatia said that Apple is one of the largest players in the used smartphone market, with iPhone 11 being the most purchased iPhone on the website.
A new lease of life
Control Z aims to give these devices a new lease of life by inspecting them for any hardware and physical defects using a combination of machines and humans. In our tour of Control Z’s facility, we noticed that the company uses various machines that can identify dents and scratches barely visible to the naked eye, check the display for problems like pixel burn-in and dimming, and replace or fix them accordingly.
When asked if they also replace screens with green lines, the tour guide said that they have the technology to inspect the OLED screen and fix the green line, which arises due to a fault in the display panel. The company also showcased how it disassembles and reassembles these phones and the process of separating the glass from the touch panel on iPhones. Control Z also uses a combination of AI and ML-based algorithms to find physical defects to make sure that the used smartphones look and feel like new.
Control Z also replaces the battery of used smartphones to make sure anyone who buys them has a new battery. When asked if they source batteries from Apple, they said that the company has a supply chain that enables them to easily replace batteries that perform at less than 100 per cent efficiency. To do so, the company uses a fully automated battery testing system that ensures the battery operates at the maximum claimed capacity and is free of any voltage issues. If the new battery does not perform as expected, it is then either discarded or returned to the vendor.
With smartphone penetration in India growing at a rapid pace, the demand for used smartphones is poised to grow exponentially in the coming years.
According to a recent report by International Data Corporation (IDC), more and more Indians are looking to buy used iPhones. Control Z is trying to make a dent in the used smartphone market by making sure that users get a new-ish smartphone that will last a couple of years before ending up in a garbage pile.
