In Russia, the second-hand iPhone market has moved in an unexpected direction. Instead of continuing to fall, prices for older models have risen by nearly 20 percent. Elena Bogatyreva, a recognized exchange specialist and founder of the DamProdam rapid device-purchase service, shared this observation in a discussion with socialbites.ca.
Typically, used gadgets shed about 20 percent of their value each year as new models arrive, rendering older devices less relevant. When a new iPhone hits the market, the value of the previous generation commonly declines sharply. Yet a different pattern has unfolded. The ruble’s depreciation has contributed to higher demand for reliable, high-quality devices, and buyers are willing to pay more for entrenched models like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 than they did a year earlier. Bogatyreva offered a concrete illustration: in 2022, an iPhone 13 Pro Max with 256 GB could fetch around 56,000 rubles, while today the same model is being offered for roughly 69,000 rubles.
The trend also reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior. Many iPhone owners from previous years opted to upgrade to later but not the latest generation, choosing last year’s models rather than the brand-new iPhone 15. This preference stems from a perception that the incremental improvements in the base iPhone 15 are not dramatic enough to justify the higher price, especially when there are still meaningful performance gains available in slightly older devices. Additionally, the significant price gap between the 2022 and 2023 iPhone iterations has tempered demand for the newest option among some buyers in the market. These dynamics collectively contribute to sustained demand for last-generation Apple devices while keeping Android competitors from achieving comparable traction in the secondary market.
Bogatyreva notes that Apple maintains a dominant position in the secondary market. Among smartphones, iPhones retain the strongest appeal and resale value, with nothing in the Android ecosystem matching the brand’s ongoing popularity in the used-device market. This enduring preference helps explain why Apple products continue to command higher prices even as new models are released.
Earlier observations on iPhone usage also touched on software changes, including discussions about apps and the App Store. It was noted that certain apps had been removed from the App Store, a factor that can influence user experience and device longevity in the secondary market. (Source: DamProdam market insights, 2024)