# Getting Buried with Your Cell Phone Take Your Tech With You Into the Afterlife By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2008-12-23 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/buried-with-cell-phone References: [treehugger](http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/new-ewaste-problem-people-want-to-be-burried-with-their-cell-phones.php) & [msnbc.msn](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28182292/) Tech-connected individuals are no longer content to keep their cell phones close by at every waking moment; according to an article published by MSNBC, many of these individuals request to be buried with their gadgets. As Noelle Potvin, a family service counselor for Hollywood Forever in California, tells MSNBC, "It seems that everyone under 40 who dies takes their cell phone with them. It’s a trend with BlackBerrys, too. We even had one guy who was buried with his [Game Boy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unihertz-jelly-star)." This bizarre burial trend isn't limited to the United States, however. London-based think tank The Future Laboratory also spotted the desire for the deceased to be interred with their cell phones throughout the UK, South Africa and Australia. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.8/10 - Popularity: 36% | Activity: 69% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Cell Phone Burial:** Opportunity for funeral homes to offer customized burial services that cater to individuals who wish to be buried with their cell phones and other gadgets. - **Tech-inspired Funerals:** Potential for funeral industry to incorporate technology into funeral services, such as live-streaming the ceremony or creating digital memorials. - **Emotional Attachment to Technology:** Rise in the emotional significance of technology leading to opportunities for companies to create personalized digital legacies or afterlife experiences. ### Where This Applies - **Funeral Services:** Funeral homes and directors can tap into the trend of cell phone burial by offering specialized burial options and technology-infused funeral services. - **Mobile Device Manufacturing:** Mobile phone companies can explore opportunities in designing customizable devices specifically for burial purposes, catering to individuals who want to be buried with their phones. - **Digital Legacy Services:** Companies can provide services that help individuals create and manage their digital legacies, allowing them to preserve their online presence even after death. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Resurrected Used Smartphones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-afterlife.md) - [Philosopher-Neighbouring Burial Plots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/karl-marxs-tomb.md) - [Post-Mortem Wireless Detectors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/in-memoriam.md) - [Minimalist Co-Branded Mobile Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/boring-phone.md) - [Millennium-Inspired Cellphones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nokia-phones.md) - [Eco-Friendly Pet Tree Burial Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecofriendly-pet-tree-burial-kit.md) - [Smartphone-Silencing Pouches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/california-cowboy-out-of-pocket-pouch.md) - [Plantable Phone Cases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/igreen-cover.md) - [Miniature Phone Beds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/phone-sleep.md)