Android vs. Apple: Why Samsung models depreciate more quickly

Regarding smartphone depreciation, Android-powered models, particularly Samsung models, tend to lose their value more quickly than Apple products. Based on a study conducted by UpTrade, the value of the Samsung Galaxy S22 model, launched in February 2022, which had a launch price of $799, was analyzed. In July of the same year, its used value dropped to an average of $469, representing a depreciation of 42% in the first six months. After that, the model continued to depreciate approximately 6% per month. In comparison, the iPhone 13, launched in September 2021, cost around $474 compared to its initial value of $800, which represented a depreciation of about 40%.

According to UpTrade analysts, the demand for smartphones is diluted by the wide range of manufacturers offering devices with the Android operating system. Consequently, Samsung devices, despite their advanced technology, tend to have lower demand in the used market than iPhones, which offer a more consistent user experience due to Apple's strict control over its hardware and software. An IDC report also shows that Samsung alone produced over 260 million smartphones in 2022, compared to 226 million iPhones. However, Mehedi Hasan, a technical expert at the TechiAid blog, believes that the dispersion caused by the use of Android by various manufacturers with different hardware and software specifications leads to a decrease in the resale value of Samsung devices compared to iPhones.

Nicholas Sargent, a technical expert and owner of the start-up Defense Recorder, found that Samsung is making greater progress in innovation compared to Apple. This makes older Samsung models relatively more obsolete compared to newer ones, further supporting their depreciation.

It is important to note that these data come from the American market and may differ from Europe. However, it is safe to say that Apple has a significantly lower depreciation rate than Samsung in the vast majority of markets.