As impressive as the iPhone Air is from a technological standpoint, Apple’s sleek flagship doesn’t resonate with the majority of buyers, with the remaining iPhone 17 models commanding the bulk of the sales momentum that could enable the Cupertino firm to become the largest smartphone brand in the world, eclipsing Samsung in the process.
With virtually no demand for the iPhone Air as Apple reportedly halts production, the latest depreciation data reveals that it has lost 47.7 percent of its value in the first ten weeks of its inception, which is the highest for any iPhone that has launched since 2022. The situation becomes worse for buyers who currently own higher capacity variants, with the 1TB version losing its value the quickest.
Unsurprisingly, the latest data shows that the iPhone 17 Pro models had the lowest depreciation rate of this generation
The latest figures from SellCell indicate that the entire iPhone 17 family averages 34.6 percent depreciation after ten weeks, but the aforementioned figure shows that the lineup outperformed the iPhone 16 and iPhone 14, whose value dropped by 39.0 percent and 36.6 percent, respectively, in the same time. If you noticed, the iPhone 15 series wasn’t mentioned, and that’s because the latter still holds the crown in resale value, depreciating 31.9 percent during the same 10-week period.
As for the remaining iPhone 17 models, they retain 9.7 percent more value than the iPhone Air, with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max flagships sporting the highest resale value. Unsurprisingly, the top-tier iPhone 17 Pro Max with 256GB storage model depreciated 26.1 percent, whereas the 512GB version lost 30.3 percent of its value. What is puzzling to see is that the highest storage variant of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, packing 2TB of internal memory, had a 41.2 percent depreciation, suggesting that increased storage models aren’t gaining momentum in global markets.
The only other models that lost their value faster than the 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max were the 512GB and 1TB versions of the iPhone Air. On average, the 5.6mm-thin flagship’s depreciation rate was 44.3 percent, with the 1TB variant performing the worst, with 47.7 percent of its value already eroded in less than three months. These numbers indicate that iPhone Air owners are going to have a tough time selling these devices for a better model this year, with the situation likely worsening in 2026.
When Apple announces the iPhone 18 and iPhone Fold in 2026, the company will have a trade-in program in place like it does each year. Considering how rapidly the iPhone Air is depreciating, owners who continue to use the device daily will likely be disappointed when the trade-in value of this smartphone falls short of their expectations. Our advice is to switch to a different iPhone 17 version this year, preferably a low-storage version, assuming that you have intentions of upgrading to the iPhone 18 in 2026.
News Source: SellCell
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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