As anticipation builds around Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone, new market data is highlighting a challenge that could overshadow the device’s technological appeal: rapid depreciation.
The foldable handset, widely expected to debut later this year under the name “iPhone Ultra,” could become Apple’s most expensive smartphone ever, with reports suggesting a starting price between $2,000 and $2,400 and premium configurations potentially reaching $2,799. Yet despite the anticipated demand, industry data indicates that foldable devices historically lose value at a far faster rate than conventional smartphones.
According to a recent study by smartphone trade-in marketplace SellCell, foldable phones are currently among the worst-performing devices in terms of long-term value retention, shedding a substantial portion of their original price within the first year of ownership.
Foldables Lose Value Faster Than Traditional Smartphones
The findings reveal a growing disconnect between the premium prices commanded by foldable devices and their resale performance.
Based on smartphones released during 2024, SellCell found that the average foldable phone lost nearly $1,000 in value after just 12 months. By comparison, traditional smartphones experienced an average depreciation of approximately $605 over the same period.
In percentage terms, foldable devices lost an average of 64.6% of their original value during their first year on the market, compared with 55.3% for conventional smartphones.
The trend suggests that consumers purchasing foldable devices are paying a significant premium for cutting-edge hardware that rapidly declines in market value, making these products less attractive from an ownership-cost perspective.
Samsung and Motorola Foldables Among the Hardest Hit
Some of the industry’s flagship foldable devices recorded particularly sharp declines.
The 1TB version of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, one of the most expensive smartphones released in 2024, reportedly lost nearly $1,480 in value within a year. The device retained just 34.5% of its original launch price after 12 months.
Meanwhile, the 256GB version of the Motorola Razr+ (2024) recorded the weakest value retention among the foldables studied, holding onto only 28.5% of its original price after one year.
The figures reinforce concerns that foldable phones remain a niche category with weaker demand in the secondary market, despite manufacturers investing heavily in the segment.
What It Could Mean for Apple’s Foldable iPhone
The depreciation trend could create an unusual challenge for Apple, a company whose products traditionally retain their value better than rival devices.
If the rumored iPhone Ultra launches at $2,400 and follows the same depreciation pattern as current foldable smartphones, its market value could fall to roughly $850 after 12 months—a loss exceeding $1,500 in a single year.
However, Apple’s track record suggests the outcome may not be quite so severe.
The study found that Apple’s smartphone lineup continues to outperform competitors in resale value. Devices from the iPhone 16 family retained an average of 51.5% of their original value after one year, making Apple the strongest-performing brand in the survey.
If the foldable iPhone manages to retain value at a similar rate, a $2,400 device could still be worth approximately $1,236 after 12 months—significantly better than most foldable competitors, though still representing a substantial loss.
Premium Pricing Doesn’t Guarantee Better Value Retention
The study also challenges a common assumption among consumers: that more expensive smartphones hold their value better over time.
In reality, several high-end devices experienced some of the steepest declines. The 1TB Galaxy Z Fold 6, with a launch price exceeding $2,250, was among the poorest performers in terms of depreciation, illustrating that premium pricing alone offers little protection against falling resale values.
Storage capacity may also play a role. Devices equipped with larger storage configurations tended to lose value more rapidly than lower-capacity models. Smartphones featuring 128GB of storage retained an average of 46.3% of their value after one year, compared with 43.5% for devices carrying 1TB of storage.
Apple’s Advantage Remains Strong
Among major smartphone manufacturers, Apple maintained the strongest resale performance, followed by OnePlus, Google, Samsung, and Motorola.
While Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S-series devices retained approximately 39.5% of their original value after one year, the company’s foldable lineup—including the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip families—performed less favorably, retaining around 35.7% on average.
Google’s Pixel lineup showed mixed results, with standard Pixel smartphones outperforming the company’s foldable offerings.
A Growing Question for the Foldable Market
The findings arrive at a critical moment for the foldable smartphone segment, which manufacturers increasingly view as the next major battleground for premium mobile devices.
Apple’s entry into the category is expected to bring new attention and legitimacy to foldables. However, the depreciation data highlights a broader challenge facing the industry: convincing consumers that ultra-premium foldable devices are worth their increasingly high prices.
As smartphone innovation slows and prices continue to rise, resale value is becoming a more important factor in purchasing decisions. For now, the data suggests that while foldable phones may offer unique designs and cutting-edge features, they remain among the fastest-depreciating products in the mobile industry—a reality that even Apple’s brand strength may struggle to fully overcome.