iPhone 17 projected to tank in value faster than Galaxy S26

For the longest time, Apple’s iPhone was the top smartphone for value retention. While the iPhone 16 is still depreciating at a slower rate than the Galaxy S25, the gap has been narrowing, and if the current trend continues, the Galaxy S26 might outdo the iPhone 17 in holding value.Smartphones start losing value the moment you unbox them. While this may not matter to you if you keep the same phone for three and a half years – which is the average upgrade cycle – or more, it’s something to take into account if you care about resale value.

The iPhone has traditionally held its value better than Android phones, but SellCell’s latest report shows that the depreciation rate has been increasing with each successive generation. As an example, the 2020 iPhone 12 series lost 25.2% of its value nine months after its release. The iPhone 15 depreciated by 34.3% within the first nine months. For the iPhone 16, that figure stands at around 34.7%.

iPhone vs Galaxy S vs Galaxy Z Fold vs Pixel depreciation over the years. | Image Credit – SellCell

The reverse appears to be true for Samsung Galaxy S series phones, with the recent generations getting better at resisting depreciation. In its fifth month, the Galaxy S22 lost a staggering 51.9% of its value. During the same period, the Galaxy S24 plunged in value by 47.3%. The Galaxy S25 faced a depreciation of 46.6% in its first five months.

It’s not just the Galaxy S25 that’s depreciating at a slower rate than its predecessors. The same appears to be true for Samsung’s foldable phones as well as the Google Pixel 9.

It appears that Samsung and Google’s latest phones are depreciating at a slower rate due to their compelling AI features. Apple, on the other hand, is behind in AI, which might explain why the iPhone 16 is losing value at a faster clip than prior generations.

Regardless, the iPhone 16 is still ahead of the pack when it comes to depreciation. It lost 35.4% of its value five months after it went on sale, compared to the Galaxy S25‘s depreciation rate of 46.6% and the Pixel 9‘s rate of 56.9%.

That said, if the current trend persists, by mid-2026, the Galaxy S and the iPhone may lose value at a similar rate, with Samsung’s lineup potentially surpassing Apple’s smartphones in value retention between mid-2026 and 2028.

The Galaxy S26 might hold its value better than the iPhone 17 if things keep heading in the same direction. | Image Credit – SellCel

Of course, the rumored iPhone 17 might flip the trend on its head with its redesigned rear and triple 48MP camera system. The phone is unlikely to be markedly superior to the Galaxy S26, though, which could feature AI tools from OpenAI and Perplexity AI to supplement those already offered by Google’s Gemini.

Based on that, it’s safe to assume that in the not-so-distant future, the Galaxy S, and not the iPhone, will command the highest price in the second-hand market.