Why do users like to buy used iPhones?
Your phone is broken, the screen is cracked, the charging port is loose, or you simply can’t stand the poor battery life or blurry camera photos any longer.
However, when looking at the selling prices of current top devices, you realize that spending nearly 20 million VND on a phone that does nothing but surf social networks, text messages and make video calls is a bit expensive.
So you think spending a third or half of that 20 million on a device that still covers all possible needs might be a smart choice.
There will be two possibilities.
In the case of an iPhone user, you are less likely to search for an Android phone (iPhone users tend to have stronger brand loyalty).
In the second case, you are an Android user, looking for a new Android phone but also willing to try an iPhone because you have never used it before.
The mid-range Galaxy A54 is not as popular as the old iPhone.
You search for mid-range Android phones and iPhones under 10 million VND in the market and you see Pixel 6a, Galaxy A54 and iPhone SE (2022).
With Pixel 6a: Slow fingerprint sensor, 60Hz screen, slightly jerky scrolling action.
With Galaxy A54: Occasional lag, no wireless charging.
With the iPhone SE 2022: the LCD screen is too small and outdated for a modern phone.
You are a bit discouraged because the phone models on the list have quite a few problems.
When you visit online sales websites like eBay or Swappa, you will see that in the used phone category, up to 8/10 best-selling phones are iPhones.
Turns out, a lot of people, including in Vietnam, are perfectly happy with buying a used iPhone instead of a brand new Android.
The above list includes: iPhone 11, iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 12, iPhone XR, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 mini, Pixel 6, iPhone 12 Pro, Galaxy S21, iPhone 11 ProMax.
We can see the trend of users focusing more on used iPhone models and two Android phones, Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21.
But what’s especially striking is how much Apple dominates the top spot, and the oldest phone on the list is the nearly five-year-old iPhone XR, with an average resale price of just $4 to $5.
The old iPhone XR is still popular.
Why is an old iPhone worth more than a new mid-range Android phone?
Apple doesn’t sell new $200 iPhones, which leaves Android as the only option for those looking for a brand new cheap phone.
However, if you have used an Android phone priced at 4-5 million VND, you will know exactly why so many people are willing to buy a used and outdated iPhone XR.
Consider the iPhone 11 priced at 7-8 million VND that is leading the chart.
At such a price range, the iPhone 11 still has 2-3 major iOS upgrades and comes with wireless charging, water resistance, premium finishing quality and the top A13 Bionic chip, quite powerful compared to Android phones.
Not only did Apple rank the phone 8/10 in Counterpoint’s top 10 best-selling smartphone rankings, but the Cupertino company also earned the 8/10 spot in the used phone rankings.
Apple is taking over the entire phone world, even continuously converting countless Android users to its ecosystem.
The main reason is that used top-of-the-range iPhones offer build quality and performance that cheap Android phones cannot.
Apple is known to support iPhones for 5-6 years, something that cheap Android phones can only dream of reaching 2-3 years.
Even older iPhones like the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 come with premium features that some users may appreciate like water resistance and wireless charging.
The quality of photos and especially videos on phones like the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 mini is often superior to that on Android phones costing 7-8 million VND.
Some say used iPhones can take away revenue from Apple, but they actually give the Cupertino company a golden opportunity to attract Android users who might not otherwise spend $20 million.