iPhones have been experiencing increasing depreciation in resale value over the years, as revealed in a survey by SellCell, a company specializing in buying and reselling smartphones. This trend started with the iPhone 12 and has progressively affected all subsequent models, with noticeable value loss once they reach one year on the market.
Traditionally, one of the key advantages of buying an iPhone was that it could retain value for future resale. However, this dynamic is shifting, especially compared to other brands. According to SellCell, while Apple devices are losing value more rapidly, Samsung’s flagship phones are depreciating slower than before, reversing the long-held trend.
Used iPhones depreciate more and more.
SellCell’s analysis of more than 40 buyback suppliers reveals that starting with the iPhone 12, Apple smartphones have been losing value at an increasing rate. For instance, the iPhone 12 depreciated by 43.8% after one year. The iPhone 13 series saw a steeper loss, dropping 46.2% in value within a year of its release. The trend continued with the iPhone 14 line, which depreciated by 47.7%, and the iPhone 15 series, which lost 48.2% of its value in the same time frame.
Although the iPhone 16’s numbers were not included due to its recent launch, SellCell noted that the newly released device experienced an 8% price drop compared to the first two weeks of sales of the iPhone 15, suggesting that depreciation might continue with the newer models as well.
Samsung Galaxy S line has been losing less value.
Unlike iPhones, Samsung’s Galaxy S series, once known for rapid price drops after launch, has held its value for longer. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S22 lost 66.7% of its value after one year, but the Galaxy S23 generation saw a smaller decline, losing 61.1%.
This shift suggests that Samsung’s flagship phones are depreciating more slowly, and the trend is expected to continue for both Apple and Samsung shortly.
Reasons for the change
Although the report doesn’t specify the reasons for this changing trend, it’s possible to speculate that recent iPhone models’ lack of significant upgrades has made them less attractive to consumers. In contrast, Samsung has been focusing on extending the lifespan of its devices by offering more frequent software updates, which may contribute to the slower depreciation of its Galaxy S series.
Apple and Samsung are now investing heavily in their artificial intelligence technologies—Apple Intelligence and Galaxy AI. It remains to be seen how these innovations will impact future sales and device value, making the next round of analyses even more interesting.
Source: sellcell
