Apple boosts value of select iPhones that could make you hundreds of dollars
We dread to think what we've spent on tech over the years, with consoles, laptops, and mobile phones lying around and gathering dust, given away to family members, or simply lost to the ages.
These days, many phone plans ask you to trade in your existing model to get a sweet deal on your shiny new smartphone, but if that's not the case, you might want to think about holding onto your older devices.
It's a fine line between when gadgets become obsolete and when they’re classed as collector's items.
As much as we loved the Nokia 3310, the fact that the average resale price is between $6 and $45 suggests they're not quite money-makers just yet.
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Then again, with an OG iPhone selling for $190,000, you could be sitting on a literal goldmine (if an old iPhone has fallen down the side of the sofa).
While there are examples of classic copies of Tomb Raider on the PlayStation going for $1,000 and MCU box set Blu-rays being worth $2,2000, they're typically sold at auction where prices can quickly go through the roof.
Apple has just unveiled its new trade-in table (via MacRumors), revealing what your forgotten iPhones could be worth.
As more and more iPhones are made 'obsolete' and have the potential to leap in price, some of you might want to hold onto them for a bit longer. For those doing a declutter, you could make a couple of hundred dollars.
Starting at the lower end of the spectrum, Apple has actually reduced the trade-in price of the iPhone 8 from $40 to $35. Bear in mind that all of these prices are an 'up to' value, meaning you could get less depending on the handset's condition.
Elsewhere, the iPhone X has held steady with a $60 trade-in price, as has the iPhone SE (2nd generation) with $50, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max with $220.
There are some surprising jumps, with the iPhone 12 Pro now being worth $180 (up from $160), the iPhone 13 climbing to $195 (was $180), and the iPhone 16 hitting $435 (was $420). It seems to be the newer models that are going up, presumably as Apple users don't want to stump up a rumored $2,000 for a foldable iPhone or are worried that iPhone prices in general are on the up.
Apple has recently released the iPhone 17e for the more budget-conscious, so the tech giant knows there's a market for savvy shoppers. In general, it can still make a tidy sum selling its refurbished phones back to consumers.
Interestingly, Apple has just started accepting trade-in deals on the iPhone 16e after it was released in February 2025 and discontinued as of March 2, 2026.
Apple reiterates that you can use your trade-in to apply the value toward a new phone either online or at an Apple Store, while devices that aren't eligible for credit can be recycled.
It's not just Apple's official site that offers trade-ins, as there are numerous services out there that might be able to offer you a better deal. Still, if Apple is giving you more for your iPhone 13, chances are that it reflects a wider market movement.