While it may come as a shock to many, a smartphone starts losing value the moment the seal is broken to unbox it. But whether the remaining value helps in upgrading to a better model or continues to depreciate further, depends on a ton of factors including your own maintenance, market trends, and annual launch cycles.
But there is a noteworthy exception: the iPhone. This is one smartphone that actually retains its value pretty well compared to android phones.
Each year, Apple announces its new launch in the month of September, prompting people to decide whether they should sell their phone before the announcement is made or wait until after the launch. Especially with Apple preparing for the launch of iPhone 18 series and a rumoured foldable phone, the question is more relevant than ever: Should you sell your iPhone before the iPhone 18 launch?
Data tells an interesting story: A pattern to observe
Like a simple supply-demand cycle, the iPhone resale market has a predictable pattern. The moment the rumours of the next launch hit the market, the resale value of existing phones drops immediately.
Cash My Cell proprietary data from July 2024 to Oct 2025 offers clear data-driven insights into the depreciation pattern.
The data shows how iPhone 15 which was launched at $799 depreciated to $576 in October 2024, right after the launch of iPhone 16. And further depreciated to $441, a month after iPhone 17 arrived in 2025. A similar pattern was observed with the other variants like plus, pro, and pro-max of the 15 series.
Now, if we see the iPhone 16 series, the pattern doesn’t change at all. iPhone 16 was introduced at $799, as the company kept the same base price for this series as well. However, its price came down to $511, showcasing a striking drop after the launch of iPhone 17. And the same depreciation pattern was followed by other models in the 15 and 16 series.
Coming to the individual model trends during the two launch cycles, we can observe that while iPhones retain their value really well, all the models displayed prominent deductions after the launch of the new model. Surprisingly, 15 Pro Max depreciated more than the base model.
It lost around 47% of its value, while the base model retained around 55%. Whereas, 16 Pro and Pro Max depreciated the least as they were only one generation behind the 17 series.
While our analysis is centered around the impact of Apple’s launch cycles on the resale value, it’s important to note that numerous other factors such as model, storage capacity, color (popular or limited edition), physical condition, and warranty of your phone might also influence its value in the resale market.
So, should you sell your iPhone before 18 launches?
The short answer? Yes, you should!
The data from the last two cycles reveals a clear pattern: The previous iPhone models lose around 35%-45% of their launch value whenever Apple unveils a new model. While the percentage of depreciation varies based on models and buyer demand, waiting to sell your iPhone until launch may mean walking away with less money.
Retailers put discounts on older inventory, and multiple people ready to purchase the latest model also sell their almost new devices. This makes it way easier for someone like me to purchase the second-best model with a bunch of improved specs at a price that fits my budget.
That said, irrespective of the model you wish to upgrade to, selling your iPhone before 18 launches on a verified buyback platform is undoubtedly a good call. It’s the easiest way to maximize the resale value and fund your next upgrade verified