Apple’s iPhone holds its value far better than any other smartphone on the market

Monday, May 9, 2022 5:11 pm

It’s no secret that the iPhone holds its value better than any other smartphone on the market, but by just how much? A lot, it turns out.

SellCell:

If you buy a flagship from the likes of Samsung or Google, you’re looking at investing around the same amount of cash as you would an iPhone. With this in mind, if you buy a Samsung Galaxy S22—the brand’s latest model—for example, then you’d expect it to still be worth a significant portion of what you paid, right? Wrong.

Unlike those who shrewdly buy an iPhone—with all the value retention that brings alongside a fantastic product—those who invest in Android alternatives like a Samsung or Google handset can find themselves significantly short-changed.

Using internal smartphone value data, SellCell has analysed depreciation values (since launch) of Apple, Samsung, and Google’s flagship handsets. It has considered the trade-in value of all lines in each range (iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S22, and Google Pixel 6) based on the resale value of phones in “like new” and “good” condition. SellCell collected the data across months one and two since launch, to compare depreciation, and to see which brands hold their value. SellCell is the US’ No.1 price comparison site for selling phones, so constantly monitors the value of these handsets across 40+ independent buyers.

Let’s see what the data has to say…

Main Findings

• The Samsung Galaxy S22 range loses the most value on average, at 51.1% (Good) and 46.8% (Like New), followed by Pixel 6 range at 43.5% and 41.5%, and the iPhone 13 range at only 16.4% and 19.1%.

• The Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G (128GB) is the worst performer, depreciating by an astronomical 57.5% (Good) and 53.8% (Like New) in the two months since its launch, equating to up to $574.99 in value lost.

• Google’s worst performer is the Pixel 6 Pro (256GB), which saw 47.9% (Good) and 45.7% (Like New) depreciation in the two months post-launch, which is up to $479.00 in cash terms.

• Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max (128GB) is the brand’s best performer, with depreciation in single figures at 4.7% (Good) and 3.8% (Like New), which is a maximum cash loss of $52 since its launch.

• Like the iPhone 12-series before it, the iPhone 13 range has started recovering its loss after month two, with 18.7% (Like New) and 21.3% (Good) depreciation by month one end, versus 16.4% and 19.1% at month two end.