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Bummer, your Galaxy S9 may depreciate 50% soon after launch, study shows

by Daniel Petrov / Feb 27, 2018, 5:21 AM

Bummer, your Galaxy S9 may depreciate 50% soon after launch, study shows

Decluttr, a buyback site, has compiled a chart that shows how fast are our high-end smartphones depreciating after you buy them brand new at full price. Surprise, surprise, it's a lot, as you can see in the graphic above. While it's a tech buyback service, meaning that you have to add the company's margin to the numbers mentioned, you can still expect a hefty chunk of the price you paid to go the way of the dodo in the first few months after the respective handset is released.

The statistics showed that the S8, which launched at $720 MSRP, just like the S9, could be bought back for 46% of that in the first month after launch, and that's when the largest value loss usually occurs, with subsequent months showing only 1-2% depreciation on average. Decluttr found out that iPhones hold their ground a bit better overall, compared to Androids, but it's still a carnage in Apple's land, too. The iPhone 8 depreciated by 49% in the first month after launch, while the X made do with "just" 41%.

Buyback services like Decluttr are not the best yardsticks when it comes to remaining value, as you can get much more money from your used handset on Craigslist or eBay (on average $380 for the S8 compared to $290 from Decluttr currently), yet they are still a good gauge for overall comparison, and save you the hassles of dealing with shady buyers.

The moral of the story? If you wait just a month after the launch of a high-end handset, and buy it in excellent condition afterwards, the largest chunk of its depreciation will be left for the early adopter.

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18 Comments

4. antonmassoud

Posts: 89; Member since: Oct 22, 2016

The S8 still has the same price as when it launched, in my country

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 5:35 AM 14

22. sgodsell

Posts: 7601; Member since: Mar 16, 2013

If anything the depreciation will come for Apple and their iPhones. Just look at an iPhone 8 for instance which costs $700. It has a low resolution 4.7" display. Whereas all the new smartphones recently released offer more for less money. Just look at the new Sony XZ2 compact alone. It is $100 less. Yet it has a larger 5" FHD+ display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. It even has a 960 fps camera, AR, portrait mode, AI processing, gigabit LTE, and more.

posted on Feb 28, 2018, 12:07 AM 0

5. JesseJames

Posts: 226; Member since: Feb 22, 2015

This is misleading since you are talking about buy back services, this is why most people would rather sell directly to someone else unless time is an issue and you need cash right now. Also you are comparing a retail msrp to wholesale used condition pricing. If anything compare wholesale new price to wholesale used price or retail new to retail used but not retail new to wholesale used.

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 5:35 AM 9

6. Trex95

Posts: 2383; Member since: Mar 03, 2013

It’s true after my experience with Android worst resale value. But in case of iPhone and Samsung yeah iPhone resale value excellent, but Samsung resale value still very good especially note line .

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 5:40 AM 2

8. Ciro1900

Posts: 591; Member since: Dec 17, 2017

but in Apple you pay 400 more than the real value

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 6:02 AM 13

13. Trex95

Apple own ther OS own there hardware desgin then nope.

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 7:22 AM 0

10. alias3800

Posts: 63; Member since: Jul 09, 2014

Dear everyone, This is true. Who here can legitimately deny this? And, since it is true — who cares if Phonearena published it? Do you want them to not write about the truth because it might offend some people? Genuinely curious.

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 6:41 AM 0

11. Supraman21

Posts: 467; Member since: Jun 09, 2010

Makes sense. Samsung phones degrade in performance over time so the resale value reflects that.

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 6:52 AM 1

16. maddy996

Posts: 128; Member since: Jan 06, 2014

Dear, Daniel Petrov I found this completely inappropriate, kindly be a man of dignity. You deleted my comment as well as few others, those who were speaking truth, what a shame!!! Now anyone can see only apple fanboys comments are visible here. This is a tech site anyone can comment here (without hurting anyone's sentiment), If you think that after deleting those comments everything is fine so please you're wrong, and instead of doing this Delete my account. There are thousands of sites available for me and millions of readers are available for you. Thank you.

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 9:53 AM 4

19. DnB925Art

Posts: 1168; Member since: May 23, 2013

With some of the BOGO offers on some phones, it mitigates the depreciation factor, since you are buying a phone for essentially half off. No BOGO offers yet for the S9, but hopefully some will be announced soon.

posted on Feb 27, 2018, 10:49 AM 0

23. Mr.mobile

Posts: 130; Member since: Mar 09, 2017

No matter if its iphone 6 or 6s still a 3 year iphone 6 32gb is selling at $394 here in india, how much old model goes cheaper more the sale numbers iphone