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You might think it’s too early to start selling, which you only just got delivered, but we’ll tell you this: you should start thinking about it from the day you unbox it. Too often, the value of an iPhone is reduced due to its battery health or pixel discolouration on the screen, which is among the faults that can be avoided if the owner knows how not to let this happen. Below, we’ll discuss some common cases of how the resale value of your iPhone can be affected within the first year, and we’ll give you the relevant tips on how to prevent your iPhone from losing you money.
Problem: Apple is finally on board with Android manufacturers offering 5G support on their new lineup of iPhones, but with the 5G compatibility comes a downside - the battery life on the iPhone takes a major hit. The other issue is that 5G coverage is yet to be fully developed, and even though the iPhone supports 5G, it’ll switch to 4G when 5G isn’t available. While on the 4G connection, your iPhone will constantly search for 5G, which significantly drains your iPhone’s battery life.
Solution: To protect your iPhone’s battery from degrading, you need to try reducing charging cycles. To make your phone last longer on a single charge, turn off your 5G manually if you live in an area where 5G has yet to become available so your iPhone doesn't automatically look for a 5G signal 24/7.
Problem: Even with smartphones now supporting fast charging and going up to almost 100% in 30 minutes, we still leave them plugged in and charging overnight. Unfortunately, many of us don’t break this bad habit. Operating systems are becoming smarter by the generation, and with the help of machine learning, the iPhone charging process has become smarter with each iOS update.
Despite all this AI help, lithium-ion batteries do degrade over time. Draining the battery all the way to below 10% daily, followed by charging it all the way to 100%, will result in your iPhone’s battery cell ageing faster than it should. iPhones perform at their best when their reported battery capacity exceeds 80%. Once your iPhone has crossed the mark of 500 charging cycles (or 1000 cycles if you upgrade to iPhone 15 or newer), the battery will start losing its capacity, leading to reduced device performance and shutdowns, which will require a battery replacement.
Solution: Ensure your iPhone’s battery charge is between 30% and 80% as often as possible. Buyback companies are very strict with the battery health of iPhone devices, and in order to get a full quoted price, your iPhone needs to meet the recommended battery health percentage of at least 80%. So, the more often you can reduce the need for a full charging cycle throughout the ownership of your iPhone, the longer your iPhone battery’s capacity will be at its best performance. This will also mean that you’ll be able to secure a higher payout for your iPhone when you decide to sell it.
Problem: OLED screens display deeper blacks and make vibrant colours pop, but they can suffer from something called permanent pixel discolouration or, in other words, “screen burn-in”. The pixels in the areas of the screen that are used the most to display icons or the navigation bar decay over time and develop a ‘ghost’ image of the static elements on the screen. The fact that different colour pixels are ageing at different rates mainly contributes to the risk of screen burn-ins, and irregular pixel usage damages OLED panels, which are very expensive to repair, especially on iPhones.
Solution: Apple is aware of this OLED technology ‘feature’ and has put clever algorithms in place that monitor and collect data regarding individual pixel usage, which is then used to adjust pixel brightness levels automatically. This is definitely helpful in prolonging the lifespan of the OLED panel. However, while there’s no way to fix the screen burn-in once it has developed other than to completely replace the faulty OLED panel, there are precautions that you can take to prevent your brand-new iPhone’s display from developing the fault. Avoid idle screen activity, set your display’s brightness level to adjust automatically, shorten your screen timeout to a convenient minimum, frequently change wallpapers (choose darker ones) and shuffle your menu icons occasionally. If you can switch to Dark Mode altogether, your iPhone’s OLED panel will be very grateful.
Problem: Our phones are constantly in and out of our pockets and bags, where they get tossed around with keys, coins, etc. All this causes wear and tear, which affects the cosmetic condition of your iPhone. The heavier the cosmetic damage, the less value your iPhone will be able to retain.
Solution: You already know this, but we’ll say it again- get a case and screen protector from day one. Even though Apple coats the displays of some iPhone series with a type of glass called a Ceramic Shield, the screens are not 100% scratch-resistant. Although the new iPhones are claimed to be 4x more durable due to a new body design where the glass is combined with the frame unlike previous generations where the curves expose the glass, it only takes one accidental drop to crack the back or screen of your iPhone.
Problem: As soon as a new iPhone is released, it starts to depreciate. If you’re familiar with Compare and Recycle, you will know that every year before Apple’s event, we prepare our largest iPhone price tracking study. This study warns us year after year that the worst time for iPhone trade-ins is after the launch of new iPhones.
Solution: Limit your iPhone’s depreciation by having a plan in place to sell the device when its value is at its peak in August. If you’re keeping the device for 2+ years, the high-capacity Pro models retain their value much better, so keep this in mind when you’re picking your new iPhone. iPhones lose an average of 35% of their value yearly (compared to over 50% for Samsung devices). Plan ahead and beat the depreciation by selling before a new launch, at least a day before. This could get you over £100 more than if you wait until after a new iPhone comes out. Place your iPhone trade-in orders at least a day before the new iPhone launch to avoid throwing £150 out of the window just by delaying your trade-in.
Problem: Quite a few services online and network providers will give you cash for your iPhone when you decide to sell it. However, if you decide to trade in with Apple or your network provider, you’re unlikely to get the best price on the market for your iPhone.
Solution: In 2022, we carried out a quick iPhone price comparison study between Apple and the UK networks, and we compared the prices to what was offered on Compare and Recycle at that time. The findings were shocking, and if you don’t shop around for the price to sell your iPhone, you can lose up to 60% of your phone’s value. Similar situation is likely to repeat annually, so do shop around and check Compare and Recycle before committing to any previously found trade-in price that might initially seem very appealing.
When you spend a considerable amount on an iPhone that drops in value as soon as you take it out of the box, you need to ensure that after using the phone for a good few years. Following the advice above, you can still get the most money for it, making it a worthy purchase in the long run.
Getting a pretty penny for your iPhone after one, two or even three years means that you need to take good care of it from day one. If you follow the above simple steps, it will be easier to bag the best trade-in deal when it comes to selling your iPhone.
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