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Phones lose value faster than almost anything else people resell, and they lose it unevenly — two handsets bought the same week can be worth very different amounts a year later depending on brand and storage. That is why a generic 'depreciation percentage' is close to useless for a phone, and why the estimate below is built from your specific model and its actual condition.
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What decides the price
Model and launch cycle
Resale value drops sharply in the weeks around a successor launch. A phone valued in the month before its replacement is announced will typically fetch noticeably more than the same handset a month after — this is the single largest timing factor for phones.
Brand retention gap
iPhones hold value substantially better than most Android handsets in the Indian market, and flagship Androids from Samsung and OnePlus hold better than mid-range models. This gap widens with age: the difference at three years is far larger than at one year.
Storage variant
The higher-storage variant of the same model retains a premium on resale, and that premium shrinks more slowly than the base price does — a 256GB unit is often disproportionately more valuable secondhand than its original price difference suggests.
Battery health
For iPhones especially, the battery health percentage is one of the first things a buyer asks for. Anything below roughly 85% invites a discount, and a replaced-battery phone with service documentation often sells better than an original battery in poor health.
Box, bill and warranty
Original box, invoice and any remaining warranty consistently add value on phones — more than on most other categories — because they are the buyer's main defence against handling stolen goods.
Typical depreciation
Bands are typical for flagship and upper-mid-range handsets in India. Budget phones under ₹15,000 depreciate faster in percentage terms and often bottom out near a floor value regardless of age.
| Age | Typically retains | What's happening |
|---|---|---|
| First 6 months | ~70–80% | Steepest drop of the whole life cycle |
| 1 year | ~55–70% | iPhones at the top of that band, mid-range Android at the bottom |
| 2 years | ~40–55% | Successor launches have compounded by now |
| 3 years | ~25–40% | Software support horizon starts affecting demand |
| 4+ years | ~15–25% | Value increasingly set by condition, not model |
How condition changes the number
No visible marks, screen unscratched, battery health above 90%, full box and bill.
Light micro-scratches only visible at an angle, no dents, everything functional.
Visible scuffs, minor dents at the corners, battery health 80–85%.
Cracks or display defects. Replacement cost is usually deducted directly from the price.
Third-party screen or battery reduces value sharply, and hiding it usually kills the sale outright.
Does location change the price?
Phone prices are relatively consistent across Indian cities compared to vehicles, because handsets ship easily. The bigger local factor is buyer volume: metros like Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi clear phones faster, so sellers there can hold out closer to the top of the range instead of discounting to get a sale.
Frequently asked questions
What is my old iPhone worth?
It depends primarily on the model, storage variant and battery health rather than age alone. An iPhone two generations old in good condition with healthy battery typically retains substantially more value than an Android flagship of the same age.
Does a cracked screen ruin resale value?
It reduces it significantly but rarely to zero — buyers deduct roughly the cost of a replacement screen. For older handsets that deduction can exceed the phone's remaining value, in which case selling for parts is the realistic option.
Should I sell my phone before the new model launches?
Generally yes. The window before a successor is announced is usually the best pricing you will get, and the drop afterwards is immediate rather than gradual.
Does the original box increase the price?
Yes, more than most sellers expect. Box and invoice reassure buyers about provenance, and phones listed with both consistently sell faster and closer to asking price.
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