Back Market and Google Launch ChromeOS Flex USB Pilot to Keep Existing Laptops in Use Longer

A partnership-driven program offering a practical, accessible way to extend device life and reduce e-waste

PARIS, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Back Market, a leading marketplace for premium refurbished technology, today announced a partnership with Google to expand access to ChromeOS Flex through a limited USB pilot program designed to help compatible older laptops stay secure, fast, and useful for years.

The idea is simple: many devices still function well; they just need the right software to stay secure and relevant.

Through this initial partnership, Back Market will offer ChromeOS Flex USB keys, giving sellers, buyers, schools, and small businesses a straightforward way to install a secure, cloud-first operating system on compatible laptops. The initial pilot will be limited in scale and focused on learning how to make device extension more accessible for everyday users.

"Extending the life of existing technology is one of the most immediate ways to reduce e-waste," said Thibaud Hug de Larauze, CEO and co-founder of Back Market. "When companies like Google collaborate on practical solutions, it reflects that innovation doesn't have to mean constant replacement, it can also mean making what we already have work better and longer."

ChromeOS Flex is a secure, cloud-first operating system from Google that can be installed on many existing Windows and Mac devices. It's designed to deliver a modern web-based experience while shifting more intelligence, updates, and security to the cloud, helping compatible hardware remain useful for everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, document creation, and web-based work.

"Millions of laptops are approaching the end of their supported operating systems, even though the hardware is still perfectly fine and works," said Alexander Kuscher, Senior Director at Google. "With ChromeOS Flex and this pilot with Back Market, we're giving people a sustainable way to take back control and extend the life of their compatible devices, helping them save money while reducing unnecessary waste at the same time."

Why it matters

The world generated more than 62 million metric tons of electronic waste in 2022, according to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and that volume is growing five times faster than the amount formally collected and recycled. Every device replaced before it truly needs to be adds pressure to landfills, supply chains, and the strategic resources required to build new hardware. Those pressures become especially visible when widely used operating systems reach the end of support for older models, prompting millions of otherwise functional laptops to face upgrade decisions driven more by software timelines than by the condition of the hardware itself.

At the same time, computing itself is evolving. As AI, applications, and security updates increasingly move to the cloud, performance is no longer defined solely by what is built into a device on day one. With the right software, many older machines can continue operating as secure, capable access points to modern, cloud-powered systems.

Mobile World Congress and The Slow Tech Uprising

On March 4, Back Market and Google will speak publicly together for the first time as partners during the Slow Tech Uprising event happening alongside Mobile World Congress.

The conversation will focus on how the implementation of AI is reshaping the value of devices and ask a straightforward question we can no longer ignore: in a cloud-powered era, how long should a device actually last?

By pairing a practical pilot with a bigger industry dialogue, the companies are signaling that extending device life is not a niche idea. It's part of a broader shift that begins to separate real innovation from automatic hardware replacement.

About Back Market
Founded in 2014, Back Market is a leading marketplace dedicated to verified refurbished technology. Operating in 17 countries, Back Market connects consumers to high-quality, professionally refurbished devices, helping reduce electronic waste and shift the global tech economy toward circularity.

SOURCE Back Market