iPhone Fold: Owners are threatened with enormous losses on resale
Apple is preparing to release its first foldable smartphone. However, according to a current market analysis, the expensive iPhone Ultra or Fold is at risk of a dramatic loss in value in the first year after purchase.
Apple’s foldable as a financial risk
Apple is preparing to launch its first foldable smartphone in fall 2026. The device, which is often referred to in the rumor mill as the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold, could cost around 2,000 dollars (around 1,760 euros). However, if you plan to sell your cell phone relatively quickly, you should think twice about purchasing it. Previous folding smartphones are considered the most expensive devices on the market, but at the same time have the worst value retention. The complex hinge technology and the sensitive displays deter many second-time buyers. After just a few months of use, the phones are often only worth less than half of the purchase price.
Not a good investment
Like the analytics company SellCell in a report As stated, foldable smartphones actually lose an average of 64.6 percent of their value within the first twelve months. Classic smartphones only lost 55.3 percent in value over the same period. The study compares the flagship models of major manufacturers after one year on the market. The values illustrate the gap between the designs. The concrete absolute numbers from the study show the enormous differences in detail.
Owners of classic smartphones lose an average of 605 dollars (around 533 euros) after one year. Buyers of folding devices, on the other hand, recorded a loss of around 998 dollars (around 878 euros). The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 with a terabyte of storage even lost $1,480 (around 1,302 euros) in value.
Loss of value on the iPhone Fold
If Apple’s first foldable device experiences the typical price drop of current folding smartphones, buyers are at risk of a dramatic loss in value. Assuming a purchase price of $2,000 (around 1,760 euros), the value would drop to around 708 dollars (around 623 euros) after one year. This corresponds to a loss of around 1292 dollars (around 1137 euros) within the first twelve months. Classic iPhones traditionally perform better than the competition on the used market. The iPhone 16 still retained 51.5 percent of its original value after a year, while devices such as those from Motorola slipped to 24.5 percent.
If the first foldable iPhone could also benefit from the high value stability of Apple products, the loss would be smaller. Nevertheless, the device would remain an expensive undertaking. Even with a more optimistic value retention of just over 50 percent, the financial loss after one year would still be around $1,023 (around 900 euros). In addition to the technical implementation, one of the biggest challenges for Apple is likely to be building buyers’ trust in the longevity of the expensive hardware.
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