Dipli: Apple iPhone 16 reshapes residual value dynamics

The traditional cycle is shifting

For years, the market has operated under a predictable cycle: launch, rapid fall in value, trade-in and renewal. That cycle is bending. Apple’s stronger and more durable hardware is extending ownership cycles. As a result, fewer devices are being traded in. With reduced supply in the secondary market but demand still strong, residual values are climbing to record highs. Apple’s brand equity further magnifies the effect, creating a self-reinforcing dynamic that competitors struggle to match.

Apple iPhone 16 breaks residual value records

Dipli data shows how striking this change has become. Twelve months after launch, the Apple iPhone 16 in its 128 GB base model still holds 62.6% of its original value. In comparison, the Apple iPhone 15 holds 56.6%, the Apple iPhone 14 52.3% and the Apple iPhone 13 62.0%. By contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S24 retains just 41.9% and the Google Pixel 9 only 34.9%. The Apple iPhone 16 is not just holding its value; it is breaking records in the residual value space.

Dipli’s pricing engine delivers insight

Tracking these shifts requires data depth. Dipli, which manages Orange France’s continental-scale trade-in program, processes over 520,000 daily price points including auctions, bids, offers and transactions. With 20,000 SKUs normalized across models, grades, capacities and geographies, the company generates AI-driven residual value predictions with accuracy up to five years ahead. Live deal feedback loops further sharpen forecasts, making the pricing engine one of the most advanced in Europe.

Implications for circular strategies

These insights enable secondary mobile market players including OEMs, operators, traders and retailers to build stronger circular economy strategies. Tracking live Apple iPhone residual value signals is becoming essential in a market where durability, brand equity and limited supply are reshaping the rules.

As transparency increases and competition intensifies, trade-in prices are set to rise. Dipli’s latest study underlines this trend. Higher trade-in values give consumers a strong incentive to sell Apple iPhones and other devices, but they also bring new challenges for the industry.

For companies that rely on margins from reselling smartphones, stable resale prices combined with rising trade-in costs put pressure on profitability. The squeeze on margins is especially difficult for players with higher operating costs, forcing many to rethink their approach. The shift in Apple iPhone residual value is not just a consumer story; it is a fundamental change for the entire secondary mobile market.