Trading In Your iPhone? Expect to Get Less From Apple

Apple this month quietly lowered the trade-in value on many older iPhone models. The iPhone 13 Pro Max was worth up to $650 on Jan. 13, according to an archived version of the Apple trade-in site, while its maximum trade-in value as of Wednesday is $570, a decline of more than 12%.

The value of an iPhone 13 Pro dropped more than 14% in the same time frame, from a maximum of $550 down to $470. The standard iPhone 13 dipped 11%, from $450 to $400, and the iPhone 13 Mini went from $380 down to $350, a drop of about 8%. (You can see more changes in the chart below.)  

There were also declines in the iPhone 12 and most iPhone 11 models, though the value of the iPhone X and older models stayed mostly the same. iPad values also remained static, while the maximum credit you can get for most MacBooks and Apple Watches declined slightly. The changes to trade-in value were earlier reported by MacRumors. 

Not everyone is satisfied with Apple’s offers. Last week, tech journalist David Imel complained that Apple offered him just $970 for a MacBook Pro he paid more than $50,000 for three years ago.

Apple previously reduced the trade-in value of iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and MacBooks in November 2022, about a month after the iPhone 14 series became available in stores.

Read on: Best iPhone in 2023: Which Apple Phone Should You Buy?

At that time, the iPhone 13 saw a modest drop, from $470 to $450, while the value of an iMac Pro plummeted from $1,150 to just $600. (Mac Pros slipped from $1,550 to $1,250 and the trade-in value of a MacBook Pro went from $850 to $630.)

The company is expected to roll out the iPhone 15 in September 2023.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.