The perception of the value of an electronic product goes beyond the sale price. An important indicator of the value we place on these devices is the resale price, for how much we can sell a used device. According to a new study, the iPhone 12 retain their value much better than their biggest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S21.
10% less monthly depreciation
The truth is that all of us who renew our iPhone on a regular basis, in one way or another, know that selling it is a good option. Unless it is an iPhone from six years ago, we can receive a good amount for our current phone. These are the figures that SellCell has studied, figures comparatively much better than those thrown by the Galaxy S21.
Comparing the original price with the prices that the devices reach in thrift shopping, interesting comparisons have been obtained. Let’s look at some numbers:
- On average, the iPhone 12 lose value between 18.1% and 33.7%.
- On average, the Galaxy S21 lose value between 44.8% and 57.1%.
- The iPhones that have lost the most value are the 64GB iPhone 12 and the 512GB iPhone 12 Pro, both with 33.7%.
- The Galaxy that have lost the most value are the 128GB S21 and the 256GB S21 with 50.8% and 57.1%.
We should bear in mind that the S21 arrived on the market in January of this year, that is, they are much newer than the iPhone 12 that arrived, on average, towards the end of October. The depreciation per month, which gives us a somewhat more accurate indicator for comparison, ranges from 6% in the case of the iPhone and 16% in the case of the Galaxy, a more than notable difference of 10%.
IPhones are built to last
It is clear that an iPhone, and in general any phone on the market, will not offer the same new performance as after three or four years of use. However, given these numbers it is clear that iPhones are made to last. It is possible that in some cases a battery change is necessary or recommended, but beyond this component, the iPhone is a phone that withstands the passage of time well.
Both at the level of cameras, as at the level of speed, processors and especially software updates, Apple makes a difference with other manufacturers. We have seen some iPhone models, waiting for iOS 15 compatibility, that have lasted six years being able to run the latest operating system. Six years in technology is a long time.
Another reason for the retention of second-hand sales value is that there is still a strong demand for the iPhone 12. With this demand, buyers are willing to pay extra even for a refurbished or second-hand iPhone.
Studies like this reflect the reality of iPhones quite accurately. IPhones that are built to last and retain their original value because there is interest in them. Some iPhone 12 that we can sell when in September we want to renew the phone for only ~ 350 euros less than its purchase price, and that can pass through the hands of three users before being recycled.