If you've been holding onto an older iPhone and are looking to upgrade to the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro this fall, you're probably wondering when is the best time to sell your old handset. Now we have a definitive answer, and it's soon.
Between August 19 and August 26 is when you'll get the best price possible when selling or trading in your older iPhone, according to a recent analysis from price comparison site SellCell. Miss this window by dragging your feet, and you'll risk losing as much as 65% of the value of your old phone.
At least that's what SellCell found when comparing price fluctuations around the launch of the iPhone 13 in 2021 and the iPhone 14 in 2022.
"In 2021, iPhone 11 and 12 series had lost up to $189 of its value between August 26th and September 23rd, during the 28 days prior to the release of iPhone 13; a 60% depreciation in value against MSRP," SellCell said in an interview with iMore. "This pattern repeated in 2022, with an iPhone 12 or 13 series losing up to $261 between August 19th and September 16th; a 65% depreciation against MSRP."
So if you're looking to upgrade to one of the best iPhones this year, you'll want to consider selling your iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 before August 26 to get the most bang for your buck. Perfect timing too, as Apple changed iPhone trade-in values earlier in July. Apple bumped up the maximum value it'll pay for your old iPhone from $600 to $640, which is for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The trade-in values of the iPhone 13 Pro and the standard iPhone 13 have also increased to $530 and $420, respectively.
What to expect with the iPhone 15
Apple tends to roll out new iPhones in September, so odds are we'll see the iPhone 15 series launch at the Apple September event. If you're wondering whether to hold off on upgrading your iPhone until this fall, our iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14 guide breaks down all the rumored changes so far.
So far it seems like Apple will finally embrace USB-C charging and ditch its proprietary Lightning port with the iPhone 15 series. The iPhone 15 is also tipped to get the same Dynamic Island as the iPhone 14 Pro Max series, which delivers live updates to the top of your display. A recent rumor also suggests the next-generation iPhones will mark Apple's push into more heavily integrating AI, starting with its iOS Health app.
Based on everything we've heard, the iPhone 15 series likely won't pack any serious hardware upgrades over the iPhone 14, with only the iPhone 15 Pro Max rumored to have a true standout feature in the form of a periscope camera. The iPhone 15 Pro series is also rumored to get a lighter and stronger titanium design and perhaps a new action button to replace the ringer switch.
