Apple iPhone 16 plus during an event at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, USA … [+]
Samsung Galaxy smartphones are becoming more and more valuable, according to new data.
This report comes from Sell Cell, a secondary smartphone marketplace that has driven up trade-in and resale values for iPhone and Samsung Galaxy devices over the past few years. The data shows that Samsung phones depreciate at a slower rate with each release, while Apple phones lose value faster.
For example, the Galaxy S22 series lost an average of 66.7% of its value in the first 12 months after launch. However, the Galaxy S23 only dropped 61% over the same period, improving by 5.6%.
The data also shows some promising results for the Galaxy S24, which was launched in January this year. In the six months since its launch, the Galaxy S24 series has dropped in value by 50.4%, while the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 have dropped in value by 54.1% and 54.4% in the same period.
At the same time, the tight Sell Cell numbers indicate that Apple’s iPhone series is gradually losing value.
“The iPhone 13 lost 46.2% of its value after 12 months, which is a 2.4% increase in depreciation compared to the iPhone 12. iPhone 15 decreased by 48.2% and increased by 0.5% from 14.
This is consistent with Compare and Recycle’s other findings, which also show that iPhone depreciation rates are increasing with each new release. Read about it here. Despite this, the iPhone still holds a higher value than any other smartphone brand, according to Sell Cell, a claim that Apple itself likes to promote.
You can see this reflected in how companies value devices when trading them in to buy a new device. Samsung will offer you a great deal for your old iPhone if you trade it in to buy a new Galaxy device. Samsung also rates its devices highly. Earlier this month, when purchasing the Galaxy Z Fold 6, you paid over $800 and $600 for the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S21 Ultra, respectively.
What we see here is that Samsung is moving away from the Android competition and creating an aura of quality in the minds of consumers. The trade-in value of Google Pixel devices pales in comparison to devices from Samsung and Apple. If you own a device from another Android brand, Samsung will list it as “Other” and offer you $50 for the trade-in.
What will be interesting to see is whether the prices of used Google Pixel smartphones will also trend upward in the coming years. Recent research suggests that Pixel sales are improving. Combine this with the company’s new(ish) seven-year security and software update guarantee, and the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 should last a few more years for second-hand buyers.
