iPhone 16 Lacks Innovation, But Its Resale Market Remains Hot: Which Platform Offers the Best Deal for Upgrading?

iPhone 16 Lacks Innovation, But Its Resale Market Remains Hot: Which Platform Offers the Best Deal for Upgrading?Although there are many voices expressing dissatisfaction with the "innovations" in the iPhone 16 series, arguing that Apple is simply "making do with what they have," based on my observations of the iPhone 16 launch day, while many opted for "selling directly to scalpers," there were still a large number of consumers who chose to transfer their data to their new iPhones at the Apple Store. A friend of mine plans to upgrade from his 15 Plus to a 16 Plus sometime later

iPhone 16 Lacks Innovation, But Its Resale Market Remains Hot: Which Platform Offers the Best Deal for Upgrading?

Although there are many voices expressing dissatisfaction with the "innovations" in the iPhone 16 series, arguing that Apple is simply "making do with what they have," based on my observations of the iPhone 16 launch day, while many opted for "selling directly to scalpers," there were still a large number of consumers who chose to transfer their data to their new iPhones at the Apple Store. A friend of mine plans to upgrade from his 15 Plus to a 16 Plus sometime later. To justify his decision, he even pulled out a pen and paper to explain to me the long-term cost distribution of the 16 Plus after "canceling AC+ and using the Apple Trade Up program." While I'm not particularly interested in this kind of "precise calculation," maximizing economic benefits through trade-in programs or second-hand platforms is indeed a primary concern for many when upgrading their phones in recent years. Unlike the "just leaving old phones in drawers" practice a decade ago, shorter upgrade cycles, higher purchase costs, and a more developed second-hand transaction industry have made "trade-in discussions" more common.

Image Source: Apple

So, if we are indeed looking to upgrade to a new iPhone, which platform offers the most favorable "trade-in" discounts?

The "Flawless" Trade-in Option is Most Appealing on These Three Platforms

Let's take my colleague's 256GB iPhone 15 Pro as an example. The phone's screen has remained "perfect" thanks to long-term screen protectors, but there is slight wear on the frame, the battery health is at 91%, and the one-year warranty period is less than a month away from expiring. I used a new phone number to log in to Aihuishou, claimed all the available coupons, and then evaluated the phone on Aihuishou, Zhizhuan, and Apple's own trade-in portal.

As the most accessible trade-in platform, Aihuishou has partnered with several e-commerce platforms, such as JD.com and Pinduoduo, whose trade-in services are actually provided by Aihuishou. As an "old brand" in the trade-in business, Aihuishou's evaluation process for phones is straightforward, with the main "deduction points" being screen wear and tear, frame and back cover wear and tear, battery wear, and repairs. Based on my experience, as long as you use screen protectors and cases consistently, you can generally fall under the "flawless" category.

Image Source: Lei Technology

However, I usually don't use phone cases, and my frame has a few scratches. Assuming no deductions in other areas, Aihuishou offered a base trade-in price of 4450 yuan, which increased to 5029 yuan after using coupons, resulting in a retention rate of 57%.

Image Source: Lei Technology

Under the same conditions, Zhizhuan offered a price of 4570 yuan, and after using 18% (823 yuan) of the 7300 yuan coupon, the final trade-in price was 5393 yuan, with a retention rate of 60%.

For reference, Apple Store's trade-in evaluation was 4500 yuan, including a 100 yuan trade-in bonus, essentially based on Apple's "Apple Trade Up" 50% price.

So, how much value could we get if the phone were "completely flawless"? Here, I used a "virtual iPhone" for testing - a perfectly preserved iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB that was just past its warranty period.

Image Source: Lei Technology

Aihuishou's final evaluation was 7300 yuan (6700 + 600), with a retention rate of 52%; Zhizhuan's final evaluation was 7299 yuan (6185 + 1114), with a retention rate of 52%.

What about Apple Store's price? Since Apple Store only accepts serial numbers to confirm the model, we couldn't obtain the actual quote. However, based on the description of the "maximum 6100 yuan" price and Apple's 50% Apple Trade Up practice, I'm guessing 6100 yuan would be Apple's final offer, with a retention rate of 43%.

Image Source: Lei Technology

However, if we are trading in an older model, like the 14 Pro, the situation changes. A 256GB iPhone 14 Pro, priced at 8899 yuan originally, even in perfect condition just outside its warranty period, was quoted at 5085 yuan (4500 + 585) by Aihuishou, 4976 yuan (4216 + 760) by Zhizhuan, and 3600 yuan by Apple Store, with retention rates of 57%, 55%, and 40%, respectively.

Second-hand Platforms Often Offer Surprises

Clearly, most people would not be satisfied with a retention rate that's below 70%. This is also the reason why many choose to trade their old phones on second-hand platforms like Xianyu. However, due to the lack of a unified price evaluation system on second-hand platforms, I can only refer to the transaction prices of similar models.

A 256GB iPhone 15 Pro (with slight bumps), originally priced at 8999 yuan, had a 7-day average transaction price of 5909 yuan on Xianyu, with a retention rate of 65%; a 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max (almost new) had a 7-day average transaction price of 9000 yuan, with a retention rate of 41%; a 256GB iPhone 14 Pro (with slight bumps) had a 7-day average price of 4682 yuan, with a retention rate of 52%.

Image Source: Lei Technology

Of course, the average price on second-hand platforms mainly serves as a reference, as the condition of each phone varies. Additionally, the transaction price on second-hand platforms is more sensitive to market conditions, supply and demand, and new product positioning. Only "high-end and popular" phones can potentially achieve a price on second-hand platforms that is acceptable to both buyers and sellers, resulting in "buyers spending less, sellers earning more."

Upgrading iPhones: Don't Be Afraid to Spend Time at Zhizhuan, Apple is the Top Choice for Retention

So, if we are actually looking to upgrade to a new iPhone, how should we choose between the three major trade-in platforms and the second-hand trading websites?

First, if you are using a "don't care about money" phone like the 1TB Pro Max, second-hand platforms are almost out of the question. After all, those willing to spend this kind of budget on a phone won't be looking at second-hand platforms, and the demand is minimal. If you are "not in a hurry," you can list your phone at a higher price on Xianyu; but if your new phone has already arrived, you might as well directly compare the prices of the three major trade-in platforms and see which one offers the highest quote.

For high-end and flagship phones that are less than a year old and have minor signs of use, second-hand trading platforms do offer more attractive prices. After all, the demand for high-end phones less than a year old is not small at all. However, since second-hand platforms directly connect individuals with buyers, this places higher demands on individual bargaining skills. Also, compared to stable trade-in platforms, the potential risks of second-hand trading websites are greater.

Image Source: Lei Technology

For older phones, considering the limited market demand, multiple trade-ins on second-hand platforms might be a better option.

In addition, if you immediately apply screen protectors and cases upon getting your new phone, these "top-notch condition" phones can indeed be sold at a high price on trade-in platforms. But what if you're like me, someone who "doesn't really take care of phones"? That's where Apple Store's offline trade-in program comes in.

Note that offline trade-in here refers to the actual trade-in at an Apple Store, not methods like mail-in trade-ins. While Apple Store's in-store trade-in price cap may not be as high, the in-store staff have almost no requirements for the condition of the phone. As long as the phone is not visibly broken or has been modified without authorization, the staff are likely to provide a "fixed" trade-in price.

Now you can see that while Android flagships have indeed gained market recognition and consumer acceptance in the past two years, due to factors like rapid model iteration and increasing competition in the same price range, their retention rates are still difficult to compare with iPhones. Spending around 8000 yuan on a phone, an iPhone might only lose 200