Popular iPhone model becomes 'most traded-in smartphone' on the market as buyers regret purchasing

One of Apple’s most popular releases has found its way at the top of the smartphone trade-in charts, as many people seem to be regretting the expensive iPhone purchase.

It’s no secret that iPhones are expensive – alongside many other flagship releases in the smartphone market – and that’s part of the reason why people do so much research into devices before the big purchase is made.

There’s arguably not a bad choice to be made right now if you’re buying from an established company, even with the negative connotations that come with specific features within certain phones, but that doesn’t stop some buyers from feeling regret after splashing the cash.

One surprising detail that’s emerged in the months following the release of Apple’s top-of-the-range iPhone 17 Pro Max is its domination of a particular trend, but it’s not something that the tech giant will want to include in any marketing going forward.

As reported by SellCell, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has emerged as the leading smartphone when it comes to trade-ins since its release, accounting for 11.5 percent of the entire top 20 list combined.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is the leading device on the market when it comes to trade-ins since its release (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

This occurred just months after the phone was launched, indicating more than anything that it seemingly hasn’t lived up to expectations for some, and those trade-in numbers only appear to be growing as time goes on.

Data suggests that roughly 86 percent of trade-ins for this particular device were rated either Mint or Good condition, suggesting that the phones weren’t used too much before their owners decided to part ways.

One of the factors that might be at play here is the slower depreciation of the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s price compared to its predecessor, as it has only dropped around 25.4 percent in value since launch compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 32.5 percent decline across the same time period.

Mass trade-ins haven't dropped the price too much, but it's still an expensive phone that some might want to cash in on (Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

What’s clear is that it’s not a cheap phone, starting out at a staggering $1,199 for the base model with that price only increasing with storage upgrades.

Many who have opted to trade it in might have been left thinking that their money could be better spent elsewhere, perhaps downgrading slightly and opting for an Apple Watch on the side or some other accessories.

What’s more, the base version of the iPhone 17 is arguably in the best state it’s ever been — with a number of features introduced that were traditionally locked to the upgraded ‘Pro’ models like the higher frame rate.

While it might be smaller in size, opting for the standard iPhone 17 saves you $400 in total and most people would be surprised at how little they miss the differing features.