If you see your friend flaunting a new iPhone then chances are that he could only afford it after selling the older model. According to the latest data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), nearly half (49%) of iPhone buyers in the past year either sold or traded in their previous device — a notable increase from 43% in 2020. The trend reflects how much easier — and potentially more worthwhile — it has become to part with an older phone when upgrading. In other words, holding onto an older iPhone makes little sense for most buyers these days.
The report also highlights that mobile carriers have improved their trade-in offers, aiming to retain existing customers and attract new ones. At the same time, third-party resale platforms have matured, giving users more ways to extract extra value from older devices.
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According to the latest CIRP report, which was published a few days ago, the old iPhones are being resold in greater numbers. But why buy new iPhones in the first place? Well, the study highlights that the majority of iPhone users buy the latest models because of performance and battery issues, or screen damage. However, only 13% of the people reported that they buy an iPhone for new features, or what we can say is the integration of Apple Intelligence.
Now, what comes to the real question, what happens to the old iPhone? The study revealed that 49% of iPhone buyers trade in or resell their old model. This makes more sense, as retail stores, e-commerce platforms, and others have started to provide greater benefits on trade-in devices, making it easier for iPhone buyers to get a new-generation model at a great price. Additionally, the reselling process has also been streamlined and is hassle-free.
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While there is a significant growth in iPhone resale, in 2025, 37% of iPhone users reported, their old models are being used as a secondary device, backup or being passed on to a family member or a friend. In comparison to the 2020 study, the numbers are down from 44%. And only 14% reported that their iPhone was broken, lost, or stolen.
Now, with growing iPhone prices, most buyers prefer to trade in or resell their old device at a reasonable price to get the new model at a better deal. Well, this makes much more sense since buyers are not only saving money, but getting a greater value for the new device.
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