According to a recent analysis, Apple’s iPhone 15 series outperforms its predecessors and leads the pack among 2023 top smartphones, setting a new benchmark in value retention.

In comparison to other flagship models introduced in 2023, such as those from Samsung, Google, and OnePlus, the 256GB Pro Max variant of the iPhone 15 is degrading at a noticeably slower rate, according to new data from SellCell, an aggregator of buyback rates from over 40 vendors.

The iPhone 15 series has demonstrated great market value resiliency since its inception. The range first depreciated by an average of 28.8% during the first month. Interestingly, this number increased to 27.1% in the second month, suggesting that the value had been returned, and then slightly increased to 27.9% in the third month. The series’ current depreciation of 27.4% indicates a pattern of steady value retention.

Apple’s value retention was superior to that of Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series. By the end of the first month, the S23 range had depreciated 42.4%, by the end of the second, 43.5%, and by the end of the third, 44.5%. While this series represents a little improvement over the company’s prior S22 range, it still shows a considerably more substantial decline in value than Apple’s rival smartphone lineup.

After two months, the OnePlus 11 series showed a 51.5% depreciation, which it recovered to 48.5% in the third month. Google’s Pixel 8 lineup fared worse; in the first month, the top 1TB Pixel 8 Pro model lost 68.1% of its value, and it continued to lose as much in the following months.

Value retention on the iPhone 15 is also notably better than that of the iPhone 14. In comparison to the iPhone 14 series in the same post-launch period, Apple’s most recent devices are depreciating up to 11% less across all models, with an average value retention of 5% higher. In particular, the 256GB iPhone 15 Plus model has an impressive depreciation that is just 11.3% lower than that of the corresponding iPhone 14 model.

All things considered, the evidence supports the established notion that the iPhone is the greatest smartphone when it comes to value retention, and there are even hints that this may be getting better with each passing iteration. Customers are still better off purchasing an Apple product if trade-ins or resale are important future prospects.