A new research report is out, revealing price information for used Galaxy S22 series models as well as the iPhone 13 and Pixel 6. Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 13 is the best at retaining resell value, in line with previous generations. Despite being the newest of the three, the Galaxy S22 is the worst at maintaining resale value.
That’s either good or bad news for the Samsung handset, depending on your perspective.
The market research comes from SellCell. That’s the same company that discovered iPhone 13 prices were hardly dropping two months after launch.
The good news is that you can buy a brand new iPhone knowing that it’ll retain resale value in the months following the launch. You can recoup some of your investment via trade-ins or by selling the used handset yourself. That way, you can upgrade to something else without losing too much cash in the process.
As detailed in the report, the Galaxy S22 won’t let you pull the same trick as efficiently. But if you’re in the market for used handsets, then the Galaxy S22 is already available at prices that are in line with mid-range phones. That’s a lot of bang for your buck.
How much is a used Galaxy S22 worth?
The conclusions in this Galaxy S22 resale value report indicate that it’s a bad idea to buy a brand new Galaxy S phone when it comes out. Especially the Galaxy S22. Instead, you might be better off waiting several months to get your hands on better deals or used models that can be significantly cheaper.
The SellCell research shows that the Galaxy S22 depreciated almost three times more than the iPhone 13. The Galaxy S22 range lost an average of 47% of its value in the resale market. The Pixel 6 lost 42% while the iPhone 13 only lost 16% of its value.
You can currently buy a used Galaxy S22 for about half of its original price. The Galaxy S22 started at $799, so you can score the flagship for about $400.
Moreover, the 128GB Galaxy S22 Plus lost nearly 60% of its value in two months. That makes it an even better deal if you want a used model. But this definitely isn’t good news for people who bought the phone at launch.
The SellCell study has looked at resale value for “Like New” and “Good” conditions for used models.
The iPhone 13 has the best resell value
The Galaxy S22’s performance mess might have contributed to the steep drop in value. But that’s speculation. Interestingly, the Pixel 6 had its own fair share of issues. Yet used models still hold more value than Galaxy S22 phones.
Google’s worst performer is the 256GB Pixel 6 Pro, which lost 48% of its value (Good condition).
On the iPhone 13 front, the handset has started recouping resale value two months after the launch. But not all iPhone 13 models are equal.
The 128GB iPhone 13 Pro Max is the best performer of the bunch, depreciating by 4.7% (Good condition). But the 128GB iPhone 13 mini lost 31.2% of its value on the resale market (Good condition).
Devices that are “Like New” will hold resale value slightly better.
SellCell has plenty of resale value data for all the Galaxy S22, Pixel 6, and iPhone 13 models, splitting its research into the two categories mentioned above. If you’re looking to buy a used device, these figures might help you determine when to purchase your next handset.
For example, buyers looking for a used flagship will know how long they have to wait before they can get it for the price of a new mid-range device.
Also, people who jump from phone to phone every year can develop a purchasing strategy that lets them spend money more efficiently. For example, you might have purchased the iPhone 13 in the first month after launch, then waited until summer for a Galaxy S22 bargain after trading in the iPhone.
The complete SellCell report is available at this link.
More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.
