What you need to know
- A study from SellCell showed that the Samsung Galaxy S22 phones dropped anywhere from 41.7% to 53.8% in resell value after just one month of ownership.
- The Galaxy S22+ was the worst performer at 53.8% value lost after one month, while the Pixel 6 only dropped 37.2% after one month.
- Apple's iPhone 13 models depreciated between 6.3% and 19.9% in the same period.
If you're someone who tends to buy their phones full price, this latest news on phone resale values might have you singing the blues. A study found that Samsung and Google's phones — despite retailing for at some rather high-dollar prices — tend to rapidly depreciate in value after just a single month of ownership. Of the five Android phones in the study, only Google's baseline Pixel 6 appreciated in value after the second month.
The study from SellCell (via ZDNet), one of the biggest trade in sites in the U.S., underlines the disposable nature of modern smartphones and how easy it is to lose money on a premium smartphone if it doesn't fit your needs. Conversely, all of Apple's iPhone 13 models depreciated far less than either of Samsung or Google's latest flagship phones. It seems all those great trade-in deals for phones have had a negative affect on the second-hand market.
The worst performer in SellCell's study was the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus which, ironically, is number one on our best Android phones list. That phone's value dropped a whopping 53.8% after just one month of ownership for devices in "like new" condition. The far more expensive Galaxy S22 Ultra dropped just 41.7% over that same time period, while the smallest and least expensive Galaxy S22 model sat in the middle at 42.4% value lost.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro was Google's worst performer at 44.4% value lost, while the smaller and cheaper Pixel 6 lost just 37.2% after one month. Meanwhile, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max — the most expensive iPhone on the market — dropped only 6.3% in value after one month. As you might imagine, devices only in "good" condition dropped even harder in value after one month, with the Galaxy S22 Plus losing 57.5% of its value.
While it's clear that Apple's phones hold up far better in value than the best Android phones, there's one clear takeaway from this study: make sure you're taking advantage of trade-in deals and carrier deals when buying your next phone. Manufacturers and carriers often offer hundreds of dollars for old phones when you buy a new one, which could help negate the resale value loss that would otherwise be incurred.
Trade in your old phone and get a great deal on a Galaxy S22 so you can enjoy a cutting-edge phone for a lot less money.
