Making the switch this year from android to apple going with the 5s but I cannot understand how these I phones hold such high value even when new models come out. My android phones are worth nothing months down the road but apple stuff is good for years. How can this be.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
how do iphones hold value over android
- Thread starter mdsniper7
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Because for most Android phones they are a dime a dozen. Plus, Apple has better build quality and the iPhone overall is a better quality phone than most Androids.
Think about it. The iPhone is the ONLY phone that has iOS. Since Android is open source any phone manufacturer can use it.
I'm sure the top Android phones (flagships) carry their value ok, but it simply won't carry value like an iPhone. Plus iPhones are released every year. Think of how commonly new Androids are popping up on the market.
Last edited:
Because there is only one company, Apple, that has iOS. The Android OS is on so many phones. Plus there is a new and improved android based phone every few months. To where Apple releases products on a yearly basis.
^ This.
If Samsung was the only maker of phones running Android, I would presume they would hold their value a little better than they do now. However, since it seems a new Android phone is introduced every month, it doesn't help when the time comes to sell your phone.
New iPhone models are introduced only once a year, so they therefore hold their resale value better than any Android powered smartphone.
I would also say because they are not supported for as long it seems. If your device ever gets caught up to the latest Android OS. You know Apple will give you a new update to iOS every year, with incremental updates throughout the year, and you will probably get those updates for 3-4 years from when the device was new (if not a bit longer.)
how do iphones hold value over android
Thats simple. Every Samsung android phone is sht compared to Apple iPhone.
Why Mercedes and BMW hold value?
Thats simple. Every Samsung android phone is sht compared to Apple iPhone.
Why Mercedes and BMW hold value?Same thing with classic cars. They don't have air bags, no 1000 watt stereo, they don't even have electric windows, you have to clank them!
So what is VALUE to you?
I got my S3 at launch and sold it a few days ago for $320. I bought it for $400 total. I dont think it was that bad of a hit, but iPhones def hold their value better.
I am debating between the Note 3 or 5s. I miss iOS though.
I am debating between the Note 3 or 5s. I miss iOS though.
Yeah Apple products tend to hold better value than competing devices in the same category. It's a combination of the brand name and the frequency of which new products are introduced.
An AT&T iPhone 4S (2011 device) can be sold for as much as a Galaxy S3 (2012 device).
While the original Galaxy S (2010) is only worth about the same as an iPhone 3G (2008) these days.
Makes upgrading easier too when your old phone can resell for so much.
An AT&T iPhone 4S (2011 device) can be sold for as much as a Galaxy S3 (2012 device).
While the original Galaxy S (2010) is only worth about the same as an iPhone 3G (2008) these days.
Makes upgrading easier too when your old phone can resell for so much.
Brand recognition is the #1 reason why iPhones hold their values well. Also, customer support is another reason.
i agreed with you the #1 reason is brand recognition
#2 OS, and #3 build quality #4 is costumer support.
I say desirability. Older iPhones are desired more than older Android phones. Androids tend to drop like a rock in value shortly after release. There are many quality Android phones out there. Right now just off the top of my are the S4, Note 2/3, HTC One, various Motorolas, LG and the Nexus 4. All are quality high end phones. One particular model is going to have a tough time keeping high resale as the ultimate difference is fairly small.
They usualy (when not in a contract) start at a premium price .
And anyway android smartphones from the more known brands keep up just as well, when taking in the start prices.
Thats simple. Every Samsung android phone is sht compared to Apple iPhone.
They don't. Mercedes and BMWs depreciate quite a lot from their original prices.
Certainly the fact that your iPhone will be supported for at least three years with iOS updates is at least part of why iPhones hold their value. This is in marked contrast to many Android phones which NEVER have an Android update offered. A friend of mine at work told me that when he bought his Android phone a new version of Android OS had just been released and that he was promised that that new version would be available for his hardware within a few months. It never happened. Android user base is fractured, not because the users WANT to use an older version, but because they don't have much choice, unless they want to root their phone (or whatever the term is for that). The carriers would much rather sell you a new phone with a new contract than spend their resources on configuring a new OS to work on old hardware.
Or so I have read.
Apple, on the other hand, making both the hardware AND the software, does a pretty freaking good job at supporting their products. It's all relative, of course. Some people are mad as hell when their three year old hardware can no longer run the latest OS. But not me. I figure, hey, it's technology. It's rapidly evolving. If I can count on three years, I'm happy.
That said, my laptop is from 2008! It's a pre-unibody Macbook Pro (Penryn). And somehow, I keep being able to install the latest version of OS X! LOL! And it looks like I'll be able to install Mavericks on it, too. It's OK with me. I still love the thing. But I won't keep it longer than one year from the point at which I can no longer run the latest version of OS X.
One final thought on the iPhone value-holding question. And that is that all the AT&T iPhones can be FACTORY UNLOCKED after your two year commitment is fulfilled, and I've noticed that these command the best prices online. Probably because, being GSM phones, they can be used in Europe. And I know that, at least in Cyprus, the only carrier that subsidizes the iPhone is undesirable. So, for those who want an iPhone, the best option is a used, unlocked one.
Taken in isolation, I think the Android hardware compares quite well to the iPhone hardware, but it's NOT an isolated thing. For those of us who love, and run, OS X laptops and desktops, iOS and iPhone hardware present a lot of advantages. Or at least that is my opinion. If I were overseas and had a choice between a new Galaxy S3 and a used iPhone 4 or 4S, I'd definitely go for the iPhone, even at the same price. But, that's me.
Or so I have read.
Apple, on the other hand, making both the hardware AND the software, does a pretty freaking good job at supporting their products. It's all relative, of course. Some people are mad as hell when their three year old hardware can no longer run the latest OS. But not me. I figure, hey, it's technology. It's rapidly evolving. If I can count on three years, I'm happy.
That said, my laptop is from 2008! It's a pre-unibody Macbook Pro (Penryn). And somehow, I keep being able to install the latest version of OS X! LOL! And it looks like I'll be able to install Mavericks on it, too. It's OK with me. I still love the thing. But I won't keep it longer than one year from the point at which I can no longer run the latest version of OS X.
One final thought on the iPhone value-holding question. And that is that all the AT&T iPhones can be FACTORY UNLOCKED after your two year commitment is fulfilled, and I've noticed that these command the best prices online. Probably because, being GSM phones, they can be used in Europe. And I know that, at least in Cyprus, the only carrier that subsidizes the iPhone is undesirable. So, for those who want an iPhone, the best option is a used, unlocked one.
Taken in isolation, I think the Android hardware compares quite well to the iPhone hardware, but it's NOT an isolated thing. For those of us who love, and run, OS X laptops and desktops, iOS and iPhone hardware present a lot of advantages. Or at least that is my opinion. If I were overseas and had a choice between a new Galaxy S3 and a used iPhone 4 or 4S, I'd definitely go for the iPhone, even at the same price. But, that's me.