iPhone 17 Pro Max Curiously Becomes Most Traded-In Smartphone

Source: MacRumors

Trade-in Share Growth

New trade-in data indicates that Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max has rapidly become the single most traded‑in smartphone.

According to a report from SellCell, the iPhone 17 Pro Max quickly rose to the top of the independent trade‑in market, accounting for 11.5 % of all devices appearing in the top‑20 trade‑in rankings just months after release. The analysis is based on SellCell’s internal trade‑in data and secondary‑market pricing trends gathered from 40 independent iPhone buyers.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s share of the top‑20 trade‑in rankings increased from about 5.1 % in late November to 11.5 % by early February, more than doubling in roughly 12 weeks.

For comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 13 each hold 7.2 % of trade‑ins. The top‑20 devices collectively represent around 47 % of all trade‑in activity.

Condition and Market Impact

86 % of traded‑in iPhone 17 Pro Max units were categorized as being in mint or good condition, suggesting many owners are selling soon after purchase.

Trade‑in rankings typically reflect a wide mix of devices at different points in their lifecycle, with older models often dominating resale volume due to large installed bases and the natural upgrade cycle. The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s rapid rise is therefore notable because the device entered the market relatively recently yet has already become the most frequently traded‑in model across the tracked channels.

Depreciation Comparison

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has apparently lost approximately 25.4 % of its value since launch when measuring average resale prices for mint‑condition devices over a 145‑day period.

Over the same timeframe, the iPhone 16 Pro Max lost roughly 32.5 % of its value. This represents more than 7 % lower depreciation for the newer model and translates to as much as $95 in additional retained value compared with the previous generation over the same period.