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TechRadar

Axel Metz

iPhone 15 launch: here's how much it could hit the value of your current iPhone

SellCell Apple

Apple looks set to debut its iPhone 15 line this September, and for the millions (and millions) of existing iPhone owners out there, the imminent arrival of the company’s latest handsets begs the question: how much will the iPhone 15 affect the value of older iPhones?

If you’re someone who’s tempted by the rumored new features of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, you’ll likely already know that now is the best time to trade-in your current iPhone. But, as ever, the level of depreciation between various generations of Apple’s best iPhones will differ in 2023.

In this article, then, we outline the expected drops in value of the iPhone 14, iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 in the US and UK, using research conducted by mobile experts from Envirofone and SellCell.

How much value could your iPhone lose?

Let’s start with iPhone values in the US. SellCell found that, in 2021, iPhone 11 and 12 models lost up to $189 of their original retail value (MSRP) between August 26 and September 23 (in other words, the immediate period before and after the arrival of the iPhone 13). This pattern repeated in 2022, with iPhone 12 and 13 models losing up to $261 of their original value following the launch of the iPhone 14 series.

It follows, then, that iPhone 14 models will suffer an original retail value drop of somewhere between $189 and $261 in the month before the iPhone 15 line arrives this September – maybe even more.

The decrease won’t be so pronounced for iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 models in 2023, since those phones have already been replaced by the iPhone 14 series, but it’s safe to expect a total depreciation in value of around 60% versus their respective original retail prices (based on SellCell’s findings), once the iPhone 15 line is announced.

That’s not to say you’ll get between $189 and $261 more for selling your iPhone 14 now versus selling it in September, mind. SellCell’s findings refer to original retail values – iPhone 14 models have already depreciated since their September 2022 launch. The arrival of the iPhone 15 series will, however, speed up the rate of that depreciation, and in the graph below, you can see how the iPhone 14 launch affected iPhone 13 trade-in prices, which could inform how the iPhone 15 launch might affect trade-in prices for the iPhone 14.

Here's how the iPhone 14 launch could affect iPhone 13 trade-in prices over the next few weeks (Image credit: SellCell)

SellCell’s findings pretty much align with what we’re expecting to see occur in the UK market come September – though Envirofone’s research suggests that the situation won’t be quite so bad on the other side of the pond.

According to the company, iPhone 12 and 13 models could drop in resale value by a further 11% and 16%, respectively, following the launch of the iPhone 15 series, while resale value decreases for the iPhone 14 line will reportedly depend on the model of iPhone 14 you own.

Envirofone predicts, for instance, that iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro models will lose as much as 16% of their resale value in the coming weeks, where Pro Max models will suffer a lesser 10% value decrease.

Interestingly, the standard iPhone 14 isn’t expected to depreciate anywhere near as much – Envirofone is predicting a 4% value drop for Apple’s latest standard model, which would represent a £22 decrease (taking its current resale value as £500). Here are those figures represented in a table:

Of course, all of these speculative figures are subject to changing market movements and consumer spending habits – and we’ve heard conflicting reports about how many iPhone 15 models Apple will shift this year. Some analysts predict that the iPhone 15 could be the best-selling iPhone in years, while others suggest that iPhone 15 sales could be relatively poor in 2023.

As such, it’s worth taking everything you’ve read here with a pinch of salt – but the bottom line is this: your current iPhone will drop in value once the iPhone 15 launches. So, if you’re considering trading in your iPhone 14, iPhone 13 or iPhone 12 device, we suggest you get a move on and cash in while you can.

As for whether you should trade in your current iPhone to fund an iPhone 15 purchase, well, that’s an altogether larger question; here are three reasons not to buy the iPhone 15 if you already own one of the best iPhones (you’re welcome).