iPhone 4S resale value?

[studentdoctor]

My wife is ready to switch from Blackberry to iPhone (I'm an Android user but she's a fan of the iPhone). I am being offered the following from Sprint for the 16GB iPhone 4S:

1 year agreement: $349 + tax
2 year agreement: $199 + tax

I hear rumors of an iPhone 5 coming out this summer, but who knows. Should I save $150 and go with a 2 year agreement, or get the 1 agreement and then sell the phone in a year and upgrade? I can't seem to figure out the best way to go and need your wisdom/experience!

Thank you!

 

[Jeremy]

This depends on so many factors that only you can decide. New phone should arrive next October. So it's a ways away. Personally I need the latest and greatest. Not everyone is like that though.

 

[studentdoctor]

Thank you - my wife is not like that either, but it may make sense financially as well since the phone won't be worth as much in 2 years anyway - so if we're going to sell it in a year, but pay $150 more, it may be only a difference of like $50-$75? Not sure about the iPhone world really.

BTW, why was this moved? It's not a question about Sprint. It's a question about the iPhone 4S' resale value in a year versus 2 years.

 

[Jeremy]

In two years no phone will hold its value well. After one they do much better but you have to remember that even if bought now and sold a year from now you'll already be months away from the following device since you are buying so late in the products life cycle. (iPhone 4S was released last October)

I guess your title was a bit misleading talking about a contract. I can edit that and put it back.

 

[Garz]

Resale has been very good on At&t model. 1 year old very good. 2 years old really starts dipping. It's really hard to say how it holds up on Sprint with this being the first year its on that carrier.

 

[studentdoctor]

I just ordered it with a 1 year agreement and paid the extra $150. I figure we can get at least $75 more for it in a year so it's really a difference of $75 to be able to upgrade again next year. Thanks for the quick replies (and moving this back).

 

[Duvi]

In all honesty, it depends what you purchased it for. I didn't get the full two year commitment price on my 4S and it won't sell. I'm probably gonna put it on craigslist, last resort, fleabay! I have a brand new in box, still sealed 4S, 32GB in white. I'm selling it for around what I got it for and not one bite. I've had offers, but they've been asking questions about unlocking, which I have no clue about as I haven't kept up with the jailbreak/unlocking news.

If you buy it for $200 (assuming you're going with the 16gb), you'd be able to get at least double that w/o issue and on AT&T, they have the early upgrade option which would be $450 + tax for the new iPhone that comes out this year, which I believe will come summer time.

 

[nolhayes]

The reason sprint and verizon iPhones have issues being sold is because of the fact that they do not run on a SIM card. So the buyer is usually wary that the phone will not be able to get activated if it was reported lost or stolen and therefore the phone would be useless once received. That's why ATT iPhones resell easier and for more money.

To answer your question though you need to consider the retail price of the phone when thinking of resale. the 16GB retails for 650 therefore in new condition that's what its worth. Slightly used today would be about 350-400 range. And used is basically half price. You can squeeze more out of certain buyers depending on how desperate they are.

Once the iPhone is released all these prices will drop by about $150 as there will be saturation in the market of people selling the 4S as well as people just not wanting a 4S when a 5 is available. In a year you will break even and get $200 for the phone, $250 the most.

 

[nolhayes]

In all honesty, it depends what you purchased it for. I didn't get the full two year commitment price on my 4S and it won't sell. I'm probably gonna put it on craigslist, last resort, fleabay! I have a brand new in box, still sealed 4S, 32GB in white. I'm selling it for around what I got it for and not one bite. I've had offers, but they've been asking questions about unlocking, which I have no clue about as I haven't kept up with the jailbreak/unlocking news.

If you buy it for $200 (assuming you're going with the 16gb), you'd be able to get at least double that w/o issue and on AT&T, they have the early upgrade option which would be $450 + tax for the new iPhone that comes out this year, which I believe will come summer time.

Sir your best bet is ebay. There are numerous scammers on craigslist that will waste your time with unimportant questions and offers to have your iPhone shipped to them and paid via paypal. eBay will filter out all these people and focus on people who just want your device as advertised by you.

 

[Guacho]

Sir your best bet is ebay. There are numerous scammers on craigslist that will waste your time with unimportant questions and offers to have your iPhone shipped to them and paid via paypal. eBay will filter out all these people and focus on people who just want your device as advertised by you.

True, but if you are carefull Craigslist is fine, I sold my last ip4 thru Craigslist, just dont deal with nigeria scammers, meet in public places, accept cash only and you'll be fine.

 

[EmceeGeek]

Sprint resale is rerunning around $500, Verizon too.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

 

[canadaiphonelover]

resell it to developing countries should be a good idea

 

[Phil DeLong]

The reason sprint and verizon iPhones have issues being sold is because of the fact that they do not run on a SIM card. So the buyer is usually wary that the phone will not be able to get activated if it was reported lost or stolen and therefore the phone would be useless once received. That's why ATT iPhones resell easier and for more money.

AT&T phones can be stolen too.

 

[lfurlong]

Craigslist is a beautiful thing. Yes you have to be careful. I like it better than ebay because you can see the product before you buy it and I don't like waiting for shipping. I'm impatient. I also make sure to go somewhere public and cash only. I have bought and sold numerous phones on Craigslist. Some phones are expensive but it's cheaper than paying full retail at your carrier. I've even done even trades a few times. Cell phones are addictive. At least with the iPhone you only get a new phone once a year. When I was using Android I was tempted by a new phone practically every month.

 

[ipartsrepair]

Nolhayes is totally right. I own an iPhone repair shop and quite honestly i can't purchase a verizon or sprint iPhone and resell it. I can only use it for parts. I buy and sell ATT iPhones all day long......

 

[Duvi]

The reason sprint and verizon iPhones have issues being sold is because of the fact that they do not run on a SIM card. So the buyer is usually wary that the phone will not be able to get activated if it was reported lost or stolen and therefore the phone would be useless once received. That's why ATT iPhones resell easier and for more money.

To answer your question though you need to consider the retail price of the phone when thinking of resale. the 16GB retails for 650 therefore in new condition that's what its worth. Slightly used today would be about 350-400 range. And used is basically half price. You can squeeze more out of certain buyers depending on how desperate they are.

Once the iPhone is released all these prices will drop by about $150 as there will be saturation in the market of people selling the 4S as well as people just not wanting a 4S when a 5 is available. In a year you will break even and get $200 for the phone, $250 the most.

Sprint & Verizon iPhone 4S do have SIM cards... Although they do not run on a SIM in the US, they can outside the US.

 

[Duvi]

Sir your best bet is ebay. There are numerous scammers on craigslist that will waste your time with unimportant questions and offers to have your iPhone shipped to them and paid via paypal. eBay will filter out all these people and focus on people who just want your device as advertised by you.

I'm not in a hurry, and not in need of the cash, so I haven't really posted on eBay. Also, the eBay fees are deal breakers. The CL scammers are easy to spot... They will always offer a lot more. The real buyers are always offering less than the asking price.

 

[Premium1]

AT&T phones can be stolen too.

yeah but unlike sprint and verizon phones once the sim is removed it is essentially a new phone and would still be able to be used. Verizon and sprint phones once reported lost/stolen cannot be activated.

 

[pilsbury]

I've had very good success with CL. The 4s models are going for $450-500 here.