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The Samsung Galaxy S22 can lose half its value in a month

It's no surprise which smartphone holds its value the best.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor

It's no secret that high-end Android smartphones drop in price rapidly compared to Apple's iPhone, but a recent report by SellCell, the US's top phone and tech trade-in site, shows just how dizzyingly rapid the drop can be.

The company analyzed sales data for iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S22, and Google Pixel 6 smartphones, examining the trade-in value of all models from each respective range for the first two months following the launch of the handsets.

All handsets were considered "like new" or in "good" condition. 

The findings make terrible reading for Samsung Galaxy S22 and Google Pixel 6 buyers:

  • The Samsung Galaxy S22 handsets lost the most value on average, at 51.1% (Good) and 46.8% (Like New), followed by Pixel 6 range at 43.5% and 41.5%, with the iPhone 13 range doing the best, losing only 16.4% and 19.1%.
  • The Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G (128GB) is the worst performer, depreciating by 57.5% (Good) and 53.8% (Like New) over the first two months since launch, a drop of up to $574.99.
  • The Pixel 6 Pro (256GB) was Google's biggest depreciator, seeing a loss of 47.9% (Good) and 45.7% (Like New) over the two months post-launch, a loss of up to $479.00.
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max (128GB) is Apple's best performer, depreciating only 4.7% (Good) and 3.8% (Like New), a loss of only $52 over the two months post-launch.
Depreciation for devices in "like new" condition

Depreciation for devices in "like new" condition

Depreciation for devices in "good" condition

Depreciation for devices in "good" condition

So there you have it, a Samsung Galaxy S22 can lose almost two-thirds of its value in two months. That's a staggering level of depreciation for a device with such a hefty price tag.

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