People buying $200, 4-year-old iPhones over new Android: The secret market dominated by Apple – do phone
Your current phone breaks, or possibly the show is cracked, the charging port is unfastened, otherwise you merely resolve you possibly can not tolerate the poor battery life or blurry photographs it takes any longer. So, you resolve it’s lastly time to get one thing higher. Nice!
Nevertheless, you check out the costs of present flagship telephones and resolve $800 appears just a little an excessive amount of to spend, given all you do in your phone, 95% of the time, is scroll by way of social media, textual content, and video name your family and friends. So, you work that spending a 3rd or half of that $800-1,000 for a tool that also does all of the stuff you want is perhaps the good selection, and go in search of the most effective $300-400 smartphone to purchase. Now, there are a number of prospects however two is perhaps extra believable:
- You’re already an iPhone consumer, during which case you’re much less prone to be in search of an Android phone (iPhone customers are likely to have stronger model loyalty); that being mentioned, maybe simply the proper overview or supply could also be sufficient to alter your thoughts
- You’re already an Android consumer, who’s in search of a new Android phone however you’re additionally open to giving the iPhone a shot – particularly when you’ve by no means used one earlier than
You have a look at the mid-vary Android telephones and $400 iPhones on the market, and also you see a Pixel 6a, a Galaxy A54, and an iPhone SE (2022). They appear… superb, however you’re on PhoneArena, studying the critiques that say issues like:
- Slowish fingerprint scanner (Pixel 6a)
- Show solely runs at 60Hz, scrolling appears a bit uneven (Pixel 6a)
- Pixel status for bugs and points doesn’t encourage confidence (Pixel 6a)
- Efficiency often feels stuttery (Galaxy A54)
- Video stabilization might be improved (Galaxy A54)
- No wi-fi charging (Galaxy A54)
- LCD display feels too small and dated for a contemporary phone (iPhone SE 2022)
- Digicam lacks evening mode, has no extremely-broad lens (iPhone SE 2022)
- Battery life is under common (iPhone SE 2022)
- Solely 64GB base storage (iPhone SE 2022)
After all, these $300-400 telephones get loads proper, however as individuals typically do, we would deal with the damaging facet of issues, and start asking ourselves: “Maintain on… What’s the best possible phone I might purchase for this a lot cash?” What if it wasn’t a model new phone?
And thus you finish my distress of getting to give you this elaborate introduction, and resolve to go on Swappa/eBay, in search of a used/refurbished phone that provides you “the most effective bang for the buck”. That is once you discover (when you do) that 8/10 of the most effective-promoting telephones there are iPhones, which is what this story is about – how Apple is taking over the second-hand phone market, and the way that might ultimately assist Cupertino convert numerous Android customers into Apple ones.
Let’s have a look…
People completely superb with buying 4-year-old iPhones over a model new Android: The secret market the place Apple dominates Android – used and refurbished telephones
iPhone dominate the second-hand smartphone market in keeping with information from Swappa.
We have now one other month the place the highest-promoting telephones are principally Apple. There are eight iPhones and two Android smartphones on the listing. The two Android smartphones are the Google Pixel 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. Swappa
The March listing of greatest-promoting telephones on Swappa consists of eight iPhones and two Android telephones. Keep in mind, Swappa doesn’t present information on items offered…
- iPhone 11
- iPhone SE (2020)
- iPhone 12
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 12 Professional Max
- iPhone 12 mini
- Pixel 6
- iPhone 12 Professional
- Galaxy S21
- iPhone 11 Professional Max
Now, Swappa’s prime 10 greatest-promoting listing of telephones solely reinforces the prevailing information of robust demand for a variety of used iPhones, and two Android telephones, the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21. However what’s notably putting is how overwhelming Apple’s lead is, and the way the oldest phone on the listing is the almost 5 12 months-previous iPhone XR, at a mean resale worth of solely $200.After all, Apple doesn’t promote new $200 iPhones, which makes Android the solely possibility for these in search of a model new funds phone. Nevertheless, when you’ve seen the type of Android telephones accessible at $200, you’d know precisely why so many would possibly go for a used iPhone XR, which though very previous, gained’t lack a primary ambient sensor, gained’t be as gradual and laggy, and definitely gained’t be made out of much less premium supplies (on this case, I’m pondering of the funds Galaxy A14).
- You check out the remainder of Swappa’s greatest-sellers listing, and also you see even higher gives for used iPhones (Android telephones too, after all); for instance, the $150 iPhone SE (2020), which at this worth level is definitely essentially the most dependable and longest-supported phone you should purchase – iPhone or Android
- Then you have got the $300 iPhone 11, which truly leads the chart, and it’s not too laborious to see why – it nonetheless has 2-3 main iOS upgrades to go, and it comes with wi-fi charging, water-resistance, a premium construct, and a flagship A13 Bionic chip, which remains to be fairly highly effective in comparison with what you’d get at this worth vary elsewhere; for instance, the Pixel 6a and its Tensor chip come the closest right here – I’d advocate Google’s phone over the iPhone if you understand you need Android
- The total iPhone 12 sequence of telephones are additionally on the listing, however I’m not going to go over each single one in every of them now – all of them include their very own set of promoting factors in comparison with model new telephones in the same worth vary; for instance the iPhone 12 Professional is a viable different to a $450-500 mid-vary Android that, in keeping with Swappa, many individuals select to purchase
Apple is taking over your complete phone (and actual) world, changing numerous Android customers: Why are individuals OK with buying very previous iPhones as an alternative of new mid-vary Android telephones?

Second-hand telephones make for a $64.5-billion market the place your favourite phone-makers struggle to gather and resell telephones simply as laborious as they do to promote you a model new one.
Some would possibly say that second-hand iPhones is perhaps taking away from Apple’s income, however they’re a blessing in disguise, giving Cupertino a golden alternative to lastly get to these Android customers who wouldn’t in any other case spend $1,000 for a model new iPhone 14 Professional.
However why are individuals buying previous iPhone as an alternative of new Android telephones? And even previous Android telephones (Pixel 6, Galaxy S21) as an alternative of new Android telephones or iPhones?
- Used flagship iPhones (and Androids) supply a premium construct high quality, which funds Android telephones don’t
- Apple is thought to help iPhones for five-6 years, which is half as a lot in comparison with most funds Android telephones, that means software program help on a 2-3 12 months-previous iPhone would typically be as lengthy or longer than on a new, funds Android phone
- Even older iPhones just like the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 include further premium options that some customers would possibly recognize comparable to water-resistance and wi-fi charging (similar for older Android flagships)
- The picture and particularly video high quality on telephones just like the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 mini would typically be superior to that on an Android phone priced at $300 (exception makes the Pixel 6a, which takes higher photographs than each – however not higher movies)
$200 and $300 iPhones assist Apple convert these Android customers who would not in any other case spend $1,000 for an iPhone 14 Professional

iPhones aren’t even the most effective-worth previous flagship telephones you should purchase. Proper now, this honor goes to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Professional, which value as little as $200 on Amazon Renewed.
Arguably the largest motive individuals go together with previous iPhones as an alternative of cheaper Android telephones is Apple’s model recognition and status. See, if the OS of my new phone was of no relevance, I’d definitely decide up a Pixel 6a over one thing like an iPhone 11 – the latter begins at simply 64GB of base storage. But when I’m an iPhone consumer, nicely… Then issues begin wanting extra just like what Swappa’s chart tells us.
However the truth that iPhones are at the moment outselling Android telephones within the used/refurbished market isn’t even what Android ought to be apprehensive about most. The longer-lasting penalties right here might be way more favorable for Apple, which has a golden alternative to lastly get to these Android customers who wouldn’t in any other case spend $1,000 for a model new iPhone 14 Professional, and ultimately… lock them within the Apple walled backyard.
First a $200 iPhone, then a $800 iPhone, after which… a $1,400 iPhone on a contract. Occurs extra typically than you’d know.