Apple’s rumored iPhone Ultra foldable could become an expensive experiment for early buyers if current foldable resale trends continue, as new data shows that foldable phones lose far more value than regular smartphones during their first year.
SellCell says foldable smartphones lose an average of 64.6% of their value after 12 months, while traditional flagship phones lose 55.3% in the same period. Because foldables also cost more at launch, owners lose about $997.69 on average after one year, compared with $605.32 for traditional smartphone owners.
Apple has not announced the iPhone Ultra or its price, but several reports suggest the first foldable iPhone could arrive around 2026 with a price near $2,000. Based on current foldable depreciation trends, SellCell estimates that such a device could lose around $1,292 in value within 12 months.
That figure sounds high, although Apple’s regular iPhones usually hold their value better than Android rivals. The iPhone 16 lineup retained 51.5% of its value after one year, and nine of the ten best-performing phones in SellCell’s study were iPhones.
Apple Still Has One Big Advantage
If Apple brings normal iPhone-level resale strength to a foldable model, the loss would likely be lower than today’s foldable average. Even then, buyers could still lose around $1,000 in one year if the device launches near $2,000.
For anyone unsure about keeping the iPhone Ultra, Apple’s 14-day return policy would be the safer way to test it before taking a major resale hit.
