Used iPhone prices are not random. They follow a yearly cycle driven by Apple's launch schedule, and knowing it can be worth a meaningful amount on a Pro model.
The cycle
- June to August: rumors about the next iPhone build. Values start to soften for the current flagship.
- September: Apple announces the new lineup. The previous year's models drop the most in the weeks around launch, as trade-ins flood in and buyers wait for the new phone.
- October to December: values stabilize at the new, lower level. Holiday demand props up mid-range models a little.
- January to May: slow, steady decline. New spring models (an "e" model, sometimes an Air) nudge older phones down a bit more.
What this means
If you plan to upgrade when the new iPhone comes out, the best time to sell your current one is before the September event, not after. Selling in August and using an older backup phone for a few weeks can pay more than the trade-in credit on the new phone.
If you missed the window
Do not sit on it. After the September drop, values keep sliding every month. Every month you wait, the phone is worth less than it was. The second-best time to sell is today.
Not upgrading?
If the phone is in a drawer, it is depreciating for no reason. A two-year-old Pro Max still brings a solid cash offer; a five-year-old one brings a fraction. Get a cash offer while it is still worth more.
Selling in Dallas–Fort Worth? Cash N Phones buys iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones, one or in bulk, and pays cash at a public meetup. Call or text (214) 308-1272.