Why Do Android Phones De-Value So Bad ?

RobotWizard on 24/11/2020 - 23:39
Last edited 24/11/2020 - 23:50

I recently purchased the most expensive phone I've ever had which had a market Value of $1600 Brand new, Phone in question is Oppo Find X2 Pro, I have always been a android user for past 10 or so years but have always had mostly Samsung phones, After looking at so many reviews online I decided to pull the trigger on Oppo due to Samsung using Exynos chips in Australia.

I was just so use to Samsung UI, even after spending some months I was just not happy with the phone, I noticed that despite of having top of the line hardware it was still not that exciting to use for me.

Now one of my friend was updating his iphone from XS to iphone 12 so I was like what the heck, I might as well try it, it can't be that bad and that's when I decided to purchase his used XS and list my Oppo online, I listed it on facebook marketplace and Gumtree. I posted the OPPO for $1200 and came down to 11 and then $1000. The best offer I got was $750 which was bit shocking to me because this phone is in amazing condition with not even a scratch on it and still has warranty left so I left it for few days and once I was set with iphone I decided to sell the XS and buy XS Max since screen of XS was bit small for me, I listed the XS on facebook and Gumtree as well, within 1 days I had 25-30 messages and I actually sold it for $150 more than what I paid for it. I MADE $150 on used frikin phone.

Few weeks gone by and constantly getting lowballed from same 2-3 people who messaged me I decided to buy Facebook Boost for Oppo which I never did in past for any item I sold, still no luck. Now I have finally listed it on Ebay auction and just want that thing out of my sight.

Looking at JB website Oppo is now listed for $1200, Now we all have our own reviews and I really use to hate on my friends who use apple but THIS experience right here made me an apple fan, Android brands de-value their devices themselves whereas apple doesn't.

Mobile Mobile Phone Android

Comments

  • ozhunter on 24/11/2020 - 23:41
    +65

    Only Apple makes iphones. Every other manufacturer makes android phones.

    • Scrooge McDuck on 25/11/2020 - 01:36
      +44

      I've never lost more than $100 in depreciation of an Android phone. Though I've never paid more than that (new) to begin with.

        • Kangal on 27/11/2020 - 07:38
          +6

          Not a troll, he just owns a basement of gold

      • Rimzi on 27/11/2020 - 16:33
        +1

        So you’re either picking them up dirt cheap, or you’re changing handsets every 6 months at least

        • Scrooge McDuck on 27/11/2020 - 16:42
          +11

          If you read the 2nd sentence, you'd resolve your uncertainty.

  • iridiumstem on 24/11/2020 - 23:49
    +24

    I do get the feeling some of it might be because of the supports that Apple products get in terms of software and hardware.
    Though, that's probably half the story and doesn't explain the full story.

    • conan2000 on 25/11/2020 - 00:44
      +21

      I'd say that's definitely part of it, but the Apple faithful will always flock to it.

      I have a personal Pixel 3 that is about 2 years old and an iPhone 8 from work that is 3 years old. Despite getting similar use, the iPhone is in a much better state than the Pixel (USB C port is dead, battery life is atrocious and getting lots of slow down and lag now). The iPhone 8 still works fairly well, other people at work are still getting updates on iPhone 6 which is I think about 5 years old, which is way better than a Pixel's support lifecycle. Other non-stock Android devices tend to be pretty poor with ongoing updates. So if I was after a second hand phone, I'd definitely pick Apple over Android. I also find that a lot more Apple buyers tend to get the latest device every year, and sell/donate to family their old models, I know very few Android users who churn devices annually, so a lot of the time you're getting a newer device second hand.

      Given work pay my phone bill up to $75 a month I decided to switch over to Apple after always being an Android user and have a 12 Pro on order. There are things that annoy me on both platforms, but tbh, you just get used to them, the long support lifecycle swayed me to iPhone and I honestly think from reviews that they are the best device in the market right now, that will probably change within 6 months, and I'll swap again next time I need a phone, but TLDR, if I was buying second hand (I never do), I'd definitely pick an Apple over an Android.

      • iridiumstem on 25/11/2020 - 13:51
        +4

        I personally think you get (or at least can get) a reasonably comparable experience from both sides. At the end of the day, both sides have nice devices that functions perfectly fine as a smartphone.

        I was under the impression that hardware-wise (like how sturdy they are, not just spec and camera), Samsung does better job than Google. That was from when I was into devices and when Google released Nexus 6p which had a weak point on the chassis. So I won't be too surprised if Google is the king of hardware now.

        I didn't like iOS, and I don't sell my devices (I normally use the device until it breaks down completely). So iPhone never was something I was interested in. I could see why someone would prefer iOS over Android.

        That said, my mom has been using iPhone ever since iPhone 5 and she seems to love Apple. I set the devices for her whenever she could see me (living abroad). The fact that she could use iPhone 5 until I helped her get iPhone X with the latest software I think says a lot about their software support.

        • conan2000 on 25/11/2020 - 21:53

          Yeah, it's much of a muchness from my perspective.

          I have only ever had issues with Samsung phones (and tbh, every Samsung product I have ever owned has had issues, so I won't buy them any more).

          I never sell my devices either, usually use them until they die or stop receiving updates, then they just become spares in case anything happens to any other phone in the house, this has come in handy a few times.

    • sane on 25/11/2020 - 09:31
      +52

      Apple artificially support the price of second hand iphones by their trade in prices. There's no way a 2 year old iphone is worth that money, but if they can bump up the price then people think iphones are worth the money.

      Android manufacturers don't do this.

      BTW no phone is worth $1600 anyway - its a rort

      • stumo on 27/11/2020 - 12:50
        +6

        Yep your mistake was paying $1600 for an Android phone.

        An apple phone will hold its value much better than an android phone due to Apple interfering in the used market with their tradein prices.

        If you just want a decent smartphone then buy a 2-3yo Android flagship phone. It will be no different to the current $1600 flagship but will cost less than half.

        Over the last decade I've only ever bought sub $500 Android phones. That means waiting for deals on last years flagship. And I've found its best to avoid Samsung phones because they just dont last.

        It pisses me off that Samsung etc have tried to pull an apple and charge $1600 for a phone that costs a few hundred to mass produce. People who pay that piss me off more. Its like we've gone back to 2004 pricing models.

        Remember the golden days when Google disrupted with the Nexus One. It was half the price of sub-par comparable phones. I still have mine and only a few months ago retired it from using it as an obd2 dashboard for my car.

        • lunartemis on 28/11/2020 - 06:19
          +1

          I disagree about the longevity of Samsung. My daughter still has her Samsung A5 from 2015 and hasn't broken. I have Samsung S5 since its launch and it still works fine (it is slower and the battery doesn't hold its charge as much as it used to) and I have been using S8 and it still feels very snappy

        • imurgod on 28/11/2020 - 23:48

          I've had Samsung flagship phones since the s7 and they've lasted very well.

      • Mosher on 28/11/2020 - 09:03

        I agree

        the dearest phone I ever bought was my current phone which is a realme C3 at a whooping $189.00

      • stanstho on 29/11/2020 - 16:50
        +1

        Apple artificially support the price of second hand iphones by their trade in prices.

        I'm not so sure about this - just checked apples website and my iPhone 11 would only get about $500 trade in - it was about $1100 when I bought it last year.

        Used models are going for about $700-900 depending on storage/options.

        Your theory would only make sense if apples trade in prices were above or even with the used markets prices, right now someone selling their phone would make more going used than apples trade in (which only apply if you're planning on purchasing a new iPhone anyway).

        If anything I think apples trade in offers are a little stingy, if I'm already a customer and I'm opting to be locked in for another year of apple I'd hope they'd at least get 90% of the used market price. Currently they trade in so far below that I don't know a single friend or acquaintance who's ever mentioned using the trade in deals.

        • jace88 on 30/11/2020 - 10:02

          I think the point is they provide a baseline of used pricing since it's a clear offer of what they're willing to give you for it with no hassle (vs Gumtree/eBay/etc)… and in doing so, anyone selling an iPhone will by default take that and add a margin. It's not meant to be a 'good' offer or fair value but rather, it just sets a 'buy back' price for the market to reference, and for those who value convenience for trading in vs. trying to sell elsewhere.

          It's similar to how when EB Games sets a baseline for trade in values of consoles, it essentially creates a minimum value and then private sellers will then go higher.

    • RobotWizard on 25/11/2020 - 10:02
      +4

      Def agreed, because they make fewer devices they can deploy updates on devices as long as the hardware can support it

      • iridiumstem on 25/11/2020 - 13:54
        +4

        Yeah, and another thing that I do think Apple does really well is how well they use their older hardware with their newer chipset for iPhone SE.
        That in my opinion is a genius move.

        Anyways, yeah, I think iOS devices do have that advantage.

    • abuch47 on 27/11/2020 - 10:09
      +1

      100% because lifestyle branding

    • alishaikh on 27/11/2020 - 16:06
      +1

      Its all about brand loyalty and demand. iPhone fan boi's are far too many.

      • iridiumstem on 27/11/2020 - 16:52
        +5

        As much as I dislike Apple fans, both Android and iOS have awful fans imo.

        Don't get me wrong, I am using Galaxy S10 plus, I have a Galaxy Tab S7, because they suited what I wanted to do with my phone and my tablet.

        I would happily recommend iOS devices if it suits the person. My mom uses an iPhone, she has an iPad. I was going to get her Macbook, but the problem was that I no longer can spend as much time with my parents to teach them how to use their devices (no longer a student and they live abroad).

        The thing I think Apple does really well is, their devices work well together. I don't think I can deny that. The things that used to happen in iOS, like say receiving phone calls to your mobile while using the tablet linked to your mobile phone, is happening on Android but I think it was a rather recent thing. Windows and Android don't really have that kind of interconnectivity or whatever they call it, imo.

        Though I absolutely couldn't stand how everything has to be done the specific way they want you to do. I prefer Android for that reason. I think now, a lot of people have already settled into what ecosystem they prefer, and both sides provide a reasonably comparable experience. They don't offer the same thing, but in the end, you get a reasonably competent device and what someone likes and don't like I think falls to preferences and what you are used to. It is annoyingly difficult to change the old habits, more so on iOS imo, especially if you have invested in "Apple ecosystem".

        Long story short, eh, both sides have awful fans.

        • Ibz on 28/11/2020 - 21:07

          Agreed. On a side note, chuck on your phone companion and Microsoft launcher on Ur android phone and it connects up pretty well with windows

        • stanstho on 29/11/2020 - 16:57
          +1

          Yeah as someone who' used both ecosystems a decent amount they both have pretty obvious strengths and weaknesses.

          People act like android vs iOS has obvious winners but in reality I'll always recommend an iPhone to a family member who I don't want to provide tech support too.

          Android is perfect for tinkerers, it's the perfect OS for the people who want to customise and get creative with their device and workflow. Thats a huge benefit for that kind of person.

          But even though I'm a tech oriented person I have no patience for troubleshooting, launchers, security, updates I don't wanna think about it. When I was a teenager I really enjoyed tinkering but now I just want my technology to leave me alone and do its job.

          As with everything in life there is no one best option. If there was a clear superior method then we wouldn't have options, there would just be "standard issue phone" because the only way a market can support multiple options and platforms is if consumers have a use case for all them.

  • AustriaBargain on 24/11/2020 - 23:51

    What did your XS sell for and how many GB was it? I was thinking of gifting mine to someone when buying new 12 but I dunno, maybe I should sell it. I wouldn't normally gift over like $500 to someone.

    • RobotWizard on 24/11/2020 - 23:51

      It was 256 GB sold it for $650

      • AustriaBargain on 24/11/2020 - 23:59

        Not bad for a phone over three years old. I would keep my XS because I love it, but I do want the world's best camera in a phone so 12 Pro Max it is.

        • RobotWizard on 25/11/2020 - 00:01
          +1

          Yeah once I sell this pos oppo I'll sell my max and get the 12 pro max as well, should be good for hopefully at least 2 years before I update again.

          • Slippery Fish on 25/11/2020 - 07:51
            +8

            @RobotWizard: Wow. You are never happy with your phone aye?

            • RobotWizard on 25/11/2020 - 09:59
              -1

              @Slippery Fish: Naa not really, I like to keep my devices for 2 years, but wanted something new this year just made a bad choice of what I wanted

  • ShannonN on 25/11/2020 - 00:12
    +1

    Many prefer the apple products as they claim to be unbreakable well made and if it has an apple logo its a must have. as for operation Ive used one but its no faster better etc than my Samsung a20,

    but remember I never use the phone as a toy gaming machine, or watch movies stream etc I rarely connect to the net via phone as my plan is a very limited dat one. I have very good wi fi bb at home thats what its for a phone is for calls and texts nothing more

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 25/11/2020 - 08:31
      +6

      Many prefer the apple products as they claim to be unbreakable

      I can't understand this claim. Some time ago, at a family function, a group of my nephews and nieces were exchanging info/photos. They all had iPhones. Every screen was cracked.
      I've always had android devices, but chosen models with Gorilla glass. Never had a broken screen.

      • ThithLord on 25/11/2020 - 09:15
        -5

        Many prefer the apple products as they claim to be unbreakable

        It's only Android fans that say that Apple users say this, tbh.

        • ShannonN on 25/11/2020 - 11:05

          strange I have seen apple users comment how great and yes "Unbreakable" apple products are, some time ago aplle fan bois were touting the mac never gets virus' never has probs, has update for 200 years etc, then later on many mac users are saying my mac broke, i device battery failed battery caught fire. so at the end of the day apple devices are not the bees knees, unbreakable or indestructible as the crowd would have you believe

          Apple make overpriced consumer goods and have excellent marketing and spin drs that almost hypnotise wannabes into thinking they must have an i product LOL

          • ThithLord on 25/11/2020 - 11:17
            -1

            @ShannonN:

            Apple make overpriced consumer goods and have excellent marketing and spin drs that almost hypnotise wannabes into thinking they must have an i product LOL

            lol no they make products that receive timely updates, with user privacy and security forefront of mind, seamless integration with their other devices (iPhones, iPads etc) that maintain value (as per this entire threads findings) for valid reasons.

            Trust me, mate - it ain't the marketing, as much as y'all haters try and point to that. The world over isn't fooled - you're not some enigma that just isn't swayed by marketing. People make an informed decision about their purchases; they buy what they require, right about the +$40k mark in some businesses - and it irks you haters to no end - it's actually really cute, but lethargic.

            • lonewolf on 26/11/2020 - 18:19
              +4

              @ThithLord: Working in IT for 25 years, Apple products have massively gone downhill in terms of quality. A lot of the users i support who were always mac users have noticed the trend , some have finally even jumped ship after sticking with Apple for such a long time.

            • Chandler on 27/11/2020 - 10:54
              +4

              @ThithLord: Not sure why you're getting flogged on the votes mate - I've been a Nexus/Pixel owner since the Samsung Galaxy Nexus (which replaced my first smartphone - a HTC Desire), and I've been considering giving Apple a go for a lot of the reasons you listed at the start of you post.

              Google - can't keep a (software) product for more than x years (Talk/Hangouts/Allo; Buzz/Google+; Reader; Inbox; there's more but they're the bigs ones that got me); likes to to data-mine me; the current Google Photos furore. Pixels are good, but they don't really hold up for more than 2 years. The pricing differential used to be a big + for Pixels, which for their latest releases is no longer the case.

              Apple - (seemingly) consistent (software) products; privacy centric; (seemingly) well-supported (hardware) products. Add to that some of the stuff they've been doing with iOS - Shortcuts being a big one for me, being a small-time Tasker user.

              Yes, this is probably a case of grass-is-greener, but maybe it is actually greener this time? I'm getting to the point that I'd be willing to at least give it a try, especially now that it's no longer a case of having to pay $1k+ more to give it that try.

              • ThithLord on 27/11/2020 - 11:39
                +3

                @Chandler: lol this site is full of Android flogs. They can't refute anything I say, so down-votes it is!

                There is so many reasons you'll enjoy iOS, I definitely recommend the switch. You've listed a few top reasons that, honestly, Android peeps just don't grasp the value of. I'll give you a few more:

                1. iCloud backups and restores. Until you experience it, you just can't fathom what this actually means but I'll paint the picture: your phones backs itself up automatically and, upon buying a new phone you log into your Apple acc and voila - your new iPhone is exactly the same as your old phone. Same background, all your photos and media, all your apps, your homescreen layout, your app data - all installed automatically without a fuss. You get 5GB free with these accs which is adequate for lots of people, I pay for 50GB which is like $1.49 a month. I have no idea if that's competitive or not; it's fricken a $1.49 so IDC.

                2. Hardware support is next to none if you live near an Apple store. I see so many comments saying Apple will fix your devices ASAP - I'm not sure what these people are on about; I've dealt with Apple warranty a lot because of my job so whenever I have a faulty iPhone I make an appointment, turn up, they verify there's a fault and then give you a replacement device on the spot. Your warranty continues. And because of their fantastic iCloud solution, you're out the door with a fully functioning phone as if you never had an issue to begin with. In my personal experience, I had a faulty battery on a phone I'd bought 2.5 yrs ago and went in to buy a replacement battery, they replaced the phone straight up under ACL without me even querying that.

                3. Privacy - well, you mentioned it but jesus crum, they don't mine your data! Plenty of hacks on here wil lsay DaE aPpLe definitely mine your data! without a hint of proof or forethought. Hell, the FBI tried suing Apple because they wouldn't unlock an iPhone. That went no where, fast.

                  I'll let you know Google happily share your data with the authorities, without even a warrant, and even share it with private companies! (I found this out through my job with our Loss recovery type team requesting that data from Google who happily handed over location data)

                4. Timely updates - and wide support - day one availability. I was rocking the iPhone SE 2016 model up until the iPhone 12 mini. It ran like a dream on iOS 14 - I just really wanted a waterproof phone so I updated.

                Plenty of other reasons Apple is far better suited to my needs, but yeah that's all I cbf to write now.

                If you visit any thread on this site that features an Apple device, see all the salty Android fans piling on. Do you see Apple users in Android threads? Nup. No idea why Android fans are so insecure.

          • Kail on 26/11/2020 - 20:04
            +3

            @ShannonN: Lol someone I met at Uni told us their laptop couldn't get viruses because it was a Mac. It was running Windows.

  • BigBoy47 on 25/11/2020 - 00:18
    +5

    I saw an (unsubstantiated) comment from another thread claiming that, when a new iPhone is launched, Apple buys back stock of its discontinued iPhones from retailers. They can then sell them back at a price so that they can't deeply discount them, and thus decrease the value of discontinued models.

    There wasn't any source, just a "trust me", but it would explain why 11 Pros are still so expensive, while iPhone XS's at this point in the previous cycle were going for $999…

    • BigBoy47 on 25/11/2020 - 00:21
      +2

      Found the comment. There's also the fact that Apple supports their phones with software for much longer than Android OEMs, and older models tend to degrade less over time.

      • SF3 on 25/11/2020 - 00:32
        +2

        yeah - I reckon the user experience for most people is important, there are always those (smaller population) people who like to tinker (DIYers) with their phones.

        With Android devices it's a lot of work to figure out where and how to get updates and support, does the software on the various apps store support your device, etc..

        With Apple, people can just goto the Apple store for support and apps on the app-store just works.

      • abb on 25/11/2020 - 09:44
        +6

        older models tend to degrade less over time

        Except Apple was literally found guilty of deliberately slowing down their old phones.
        I've never seen an Android device "degrade" over time, other than the battery.

        • ThithLord on 25/11/2020 - 12:10

          Except Apple was literally found guilty of deliberately slowing down their old phones.

          your sentence should read: Apple was literally found guilty of deliberately slowing down their old phones through updates to prevent accidental shutdowns. Li-ion batteries degrade over time, and they can’t handle the surge in power requirement when the chip takes on heavy load. Which is why Apple limited the processor speed on other devices through updates, per any number of articles easy enough to find but here, I found you one.

          Also:

          Not only did Apple apologise, but it also released an update which allowed users to opt out of this functionality.

          They did this for a specific reason. Batteries degrade over time - it's a fact. This stopped unexpected shutdowns.

          I've never seen an Android device "degrade" over time, other than the battery.

          Except for, y'know, Samsung did this? Read the above article, bruv.

          • raisinberry777 on 25/11/2020 - 13:10
            +5

            @ThithLord: Yes, this misconception about Apple being nefarious by slowing down older phones needs to be rectified. Any Nexus 6P owner (and there are many) who went through the random shutdowns due to battery degradation can attest to what Apple did being a good thing.

          • abb on 25/11/2020 - 13:49
            +3

            @ThithLord: Didn't know Samsung did it too, thanks for the info.

            In any case the real problem is not so much the slowing down in itself, but rather the deception. I can't remember if they actively denied it or just didn't tell anyone it was happening, either way the deception was the reason they were fined (Apple were fined 5x as much as Samsung were, it seems).

            If the phone had a warning on the box that said "when your battery degrades, we will limit peak power, resulting in slower performance", there would have been no case to answer.

            • ThithLord on 25/11/2020 - 14:03
              +1

              @abb:

              In any case the real problem is not so much the slowing down in itself, but rather the deception. I can't remember if they actively denied it or just didn't tell anyone it was happening, either way the deception was the reason they were fined (Apple were fined 5x as much as Samsung were, it seems).

              Yeah, absolutely agree with you there. I suffered the same fate and it was annoying as heck - they did rectify it, though, after the fact. Reduced the price to replace the battery by a lot and provided an opt-out option. I went to pay for a battery replaced on my 1st Gen SE and they replaced the whole phone, free of charge! 2.5 yrs after original purchase, to boot.

        • KLoNe on 27/11/2020 - 06:38
          +1

          I used to believe this too, but.my Huawei has DEFINITELY had 'slowdown updates' over the last few months. It used to be BUTTERY but now there's animation.lags everywhere and it all happened after it was updates.

          Baked in 100%

    • RobotWizard on 25/11/2020 - 10:07
      +1

      Wow, thanks for sharing, didn't know that

    • addrv on 25/11/2020 - 00:42
      +5

      I've been using iPhone since 3GS and I dare to say I spent less on mobile hardware than majority of Android friends/acquaintances around me.

      I don't chase latest product, that might be main cost saving. I also got free phone exchange (both were 2+ years ownership, without Apple Care), things rarely felt broken therefore reduce the urge of wanting to upgrade my phone.

    • ThithLord on 25/11/2020 - 09:16
      +1

      lol i love sheep comments. You do you, mate

    • smartazz104 on 26/11/2020 - 18:44
      +4

      What a bitter and narrow-minded person you are.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2020 - 09:03
      +3

      Hahahah what do vegans have to do with it?!?! You muppet

  • Drakesy on 25/11/2020 - 00:18
    +4

    Yeah, was fairly surprised when i sold my Iphone 6, 2 years later for 3/4 of the price i paid (with a battery that lasted 2.5 hours.)

    My current Galaxy s9+ will be lucky to recover $200 for.

    I feel with the relatively small innovation in Iphones (and the greater mobile industry for that matter - who really wants a flip phone anyway), prolonged support and overall ecosystem the depreciation is only going to slow further.

    Also i believe Apple restricts retailers on the discount they can offer on their phones, oh and the mark up on them is a fraction of that of Android phones, thus less discounting.
    Garmin smartly did this to their watches to ensure the prices stayed buoyant.

    • Daabido on 25/11/2020 - 07:37
      +2

      "Also i believe Apple restricts retailers on the discount they can offer on their phones"

      That's actually illegal in Australia.

      • CheapandUsed on 25/11/2020 - 08:25
        +2

        It has been a long long time since I worked retail, but I recall the iPod had a really thin margin so discounting wasn't really possible.

        However I had glimpsed a store manager report that showed 'rebates' that would happen, effectively increasing the margin after the product was sold. I think this might be how they maintain control of pricing (whether legal or not I don't know)

      • Drakesy on 25/11/2020 - 08:38

        @daabido Is it though?

      • cloudy on 26/11/2020 - 21:23
        +1

        What’s not illegal is to guarantee to the retailer it is willing to buy the stock back at a price close to RRP. So there is no need to discount the phone, discounting will reap less money than selling back to apple.

        Is this illegal? Don’t think so, if you have money you can spend it how you like.

  • netjock on 25/11/2020 - 00:25
    +1

    Apple is like Tesla.

    Android is all the ICE car makers.

    Or Apple PCs vs IBM clones.

    You can't get Oppo A52 type device from Apple for $250. Cheapest Apple iphone SE $750.

  • Circly on 25/11/2020 - 00:44
    +12

    A Samsung S series or Note series would have held value a bit better (not as well as Apple).

    An Oppo is not on the same level and is not as well known so i'm not suprised the value dropped quick.

    Also, I think you overpaid on the Oppo.. $1600??? You can get a Note 20 for that price.

    • RobotWizard on 25/11/2020 - 10:09
      +4

      Just a bad choice on my end, wanted to try something different, but lesson learned.

  • SydStrand on 25/11/2020 - 01:09
    +5

    Android phones are on sale all the time. Would you pay $1200 for that phone on FB Marketplace when you have all these deals?

  • plmko on 25/11/2020 - 02:11
    +41

    Let me be brutally honest. It is because you bought a trash phone from a trash brand that constantly undermines it's own value as it vies for sale domination. No one wants your OPPO because OPPO is constantly releasing new phones every 3months or slashing the wholesale prices.

    Now before you get triggered, note I am a big Android fan. Let me direct you to desirable Android phones like the Sony Xperia XZ1 compact, what was sold for $650 4years ago can potentially be worth $250 today. Notice how the depreciation is far more normal as compared to your OPPO.

    • bazingaa on 25/11/2020 - 03:44
      +2

      Sony Xperia 1 ii, the holy grail

    • ThithLord on 25/11/2020 - 09:21
      +1

      Harsh! But those Sony phones were so fricken good

    • RobotWizard on 25/11/2020 - 10:14

      Na not triggered at all, It was impulse buy, Was thinking about upgrading for a while, saw some reviews on youtube and pulled a trigger. I've actually had a bad experience with one of Sony's phone few years ago(can't remember the model) which retailed for around $500ish, Phone had as known problem of turning off on it's own and would not turn on until battery was completely dead, It was a well known problem after I searched on google but Sony wouldn't fix it under warranty. So Sony is not on my list either.

      I'd prob just buy Apple or Samsung for now.

    • andylch on 25/11/2020 - 19:51

      +1 for XZ1 Compact, but it is just a 3 year old phone ;)

  • kyle on 25/11/2020 - 07:01
    +3

    You're the first person I've heard buying an Oppo. Should have stayed with Samsung.

  • brendanm on 25/11/2020 - 07:22
    +18

    You purchased an oppo, not a Samsung, or apple. Brands that people value have higher resale value.

    • pegaxs on 25/11/2020 - 08:33
      +21

      This. I owned one Oppo phone once. Never again. And $1,600 for an Oppo? That’s like paying BMW 5 series prices for a Proton Savvy…

      • jace88 on 30/11/2020 - 10:12

        Haven't heard a Proton reference in Australia in a long time.

    • RobotWizard on 25/11/2020 - 10:15

      Yeah lesson learned, Will be sticking with Samsung and Apple from now on

      • abuch47 on 27/11/2020 - 10:19
        +1

        there are other great options as well. simping for brands only hurts your wallet.

  • Fredfloresjr on 25/11/2020 - 07:38
    +1

    Bought iphone xs max 2 years ago for 2k and sold it 1 grand after buying the new ip12 max. So good value indeed.

    • Slippery Fish on 25/11/2020 - 08:00
      +1

      I bought a s10e for $99 with in plan and after a month called telstra due to wanting to check scam call, they moved Me from the contract to month to month. Winning.

      $160 for a $1000 phone at the time. Still using now.

      • retainer on 30/11/2020 - 07:09

        What did I just read

        • Slippery Fish on 30/11/2020 - 12:33

          The word of your Lord and savior

    • abuch47 on 27/11/2020 - 10:19
      +1

      lmao

  • shaybisc on 25/11/2020 - 07:43
    +11

    Big price drop on phone is rational. The puzzling question for me is why Apple people are prepared to pay so much for second hand phone.

    • tooblue on 25/11/2020 - 12:32

      Answer is this post.
      Easy 30% profit makes me want to buy iPhones too.

    • Brianqpr on 25/11/2020 - 18:18
      +5

      Apple is mainstream and trendy. Many people have never even considered or tried anything else.

      I saw an apple users forum recently where people were commenting about one of the iphones (can't remember which) having a camera issue that caused photos to be blurry. The amount of comments along the lines of "they look like android photos" make it clear that they have no knowledge of android phones beyond the very early ones over 10 years ago. For years the likes of samsung, huawei etc have led the way with cameras but these disciples wouldn't have a clue because apple is everything to them.

      Its good marketing obviously. I'm the only one in my house that doesn't have an iphone and because of that I'm aware they can be just as frustrating an buggy as anything else.

    • Quantumcat on 27/11/2020 - 07:45
      +1

      Because old Apple phones work really well, much better than a phone running Android of the same age. If you think of paying for utility rather than the age of the phone it makes perfect sense.

      Compare to good resale value of Toyotas. Cause those cars keep working even when they are old.

    • Praeto on 27/11/2020 - 09:24

      I can only speak to my own experience.. but it's because even the older devices remain updated and continue to function well for many years. I tend to upgrade my devices that see the most use every 2 - 3 years and then hand my older devices off to family members. My 5 year old iPhone 6s can still run the latest IOS without any issues, and it's served 3 different family members since I handed it off. I still used my 6 year old iPad Air 2 every day, and it's still upgradeable to the latest OS and runs perfectly. You can go buy a 3 year old iPhone / iPad for a reasonable price, and expect to get another 2 - 3 years of update support and stable use.

      In comparison my experience with Android devices (mainly tablets) has been very different. None of them have been handed off to family members, because by the time I'm ready to upgrade they're either not functioning at a level I'm happy passing off, or they're no longer receiving updates. I have no idea if that's a common experience, as my only real interest in Android devices was as a mobile penetration testing platform for work.. so I don't pay much attention to their communities.

      My experience with both though, would mean I would happily recommend a second hand iDevice to my family / friends, but I would hesitate to do the same for any of the Android devices I've owned.

    • cannedhams on 27/11/2020 - 22:44

      At police and airport auctions, I repeatedly see people paying through the nose for devices that are locked. Not unusual to see an iPad 4, locked, go for $150.00. Unless you're pretty sophisticated, its basically only good for parts.

  • gasman70 on 25/11/2020 - 08:29
    +7

    Brainwashed iPhone disciples

  • pegaxs on 25/11/2020 - 08:32

    Because Apple is the Tesla of phones. Rabid fanbois is what keeps the prices inflated.

  • [Deactivated] on 25/11/2020 - 08:54
    +5

    Better question. Why are you worried about the resale value of the phone?

    • brendanm on 25/11/2020 - 10:19
      +5

      High yield investment phone?

    • addrv on 25/11/2020 - 11:38
      +3

      It doesn't have to be about wanting to resale your phone, but as an indicator of its value (oppose to its cost) through supply and demand.

      Very simply put… if Mobile A costs $1000 and -20% of its RRP per year, then it's perceived that Mobile A is worth 5 years of its life time, thus costs $200/year.

      Compare to Mobile B costs $500 and -50% of its RRP per year, then its perceived that Mobile B to become worthless after 2 years, thus costs $250/year.

  • mrmc on 25/11/2020 - 11:33

    iphones are also easier to repair with cheap parts available, i had a cracked new htc phone and the screen off aliexpress was like $100

    cpu also tends to better, https://www.phonecurry.com/benchmarks

    • highdealer on 26/11/2020 - 22:34
      +4

      iphones are also easier to repair with cheap parts available

      iPhone 12 : i am about to destroy this man whole career…

  • juzza87 on 25/11/2020 - 11:44
    +5

    5 years of updates and support for the iPhones, you'd be lucky to get the next version of Android from most other manufacturers unless you know how to unlock the bootloader/install a recovery and flash a new ROM. There's also the Apple Stores which give consumers confidence.

    I flip flop between brands and I'm not loyal to any one, I know they'll all do the same thing, just my observation.

    • AustriaBargain on 29/11/2020 - 17:40

      Also all iphones from day one have had glass multi-touch IPS displays. Yet plenty of day one Androids had plastic single touch cheap TN displays. All new iPhones sold this year have Apple's new amazing ARM chip in it, yet Samsung releases dozens of lemons every year with inferior chips that run at all kinds of levels of real world performance.

      It's like asking why do all cars made by the Lamborghini company have such high resale value compared to every different kind of car the Ford Motor Company makes, from the humble Laser to the luxury Volvo or Lincoln. And honestly even the Lincoln isn't as fast as the Lambo.

  • tooblue on 25/11/2020 - 12:28
    +5
    • People willing to spend over $1000 on phone would rather by new instead of secondhand. Guess who'd spend $400K on a one-year-old Ferrari while new is $500K?
    • OPPO is a second or third tier brand. Samsung flagships won't lose that much value. Coles /Woolies budget phones don't lose that much value either.
    • Like it or not, Apple is not only a phone brand but a status.
    • Your experience shows Apple phone is potentially a high yield investment. Where there is profit, there are investors that push up the price.
    • shaybisc on 25/11/2020 - 13:57
      +2

      Ferraris don't become obsolete.

    • AustriaBargain on 29/11/2020 - 17:45

      This is great news for people who want an iPhone but don't care if it is second hand. Especially now that Apple has capped the cost of an official battery replacement to just $129 out of warranty.

  • SlartiBartFozz on 25/11/2020 - 14:06
    +10

    There is no competition in the iPhone market — if you decide to buy a new iPhone, you have virtually no choice but to get another from Apple or a second-hand Apple.

    Conversely there are thousands of different companies making Android-based devices, and if you have e.g. Samsung, and decide to upgrade it, you have a wealth of choice (Samsung alone releases dozens of models globally each year) or you could look at any of the hundreds of other brands, because there is so much more competition, and no compelling reason to stay loyal to one brand, as the software in transferrable along with your data and settings.
    Not being locked-in is a huge benefit for Android device owners, but all of that competition makes is harder for fetch higher prices for your old devices, especially lower-tier brands like Oppo.

  • neonlight on 26/11/2020 - 16:07
    +7

    its because you bought an OPPO, most Chinese brands drop prices VERY QUICKLY. Only Samsung and Apple can hold up alright, even then Samsung still drops alot. Therefore my recommendation is DO NOT purchase new android phones first release, wait 6-8 months after release to score a bargain. In some cases the best price point are about 12 months in.

    If you tempt to purchase the latest and greatest, then prepare to face de-value. You should have had this in mind.

    For Example I bought LG V50 $599 JB hifi earlier this year when it was selling for over $1299 8 months ago.

    I also bought my Oneplus 6T in 2018 Nov, 1 month after it was released. However I knew what I was getting and will be kept for a long time, still have it on my hand, don't care if its worth nothing now. Served me 24 months no issues

  • Herbse on 26/11/2020 - 16:15
    +8

    I buy and sell a lot of phones as part of my job. Saying "android phones devalue more" is not an accurate blanket statement.

    1. As people have said, apple only make the iPhone. So there's more demand for that one phone. When there's more people who want something, the value goes up. But then there's also market saturation to balance it out a little. So it depends on the model.

    2. Android phones are generally cheaper to buy up front. Sometimes it might seem like they have dropped in value compared to the same year iPhone, but they're usually several hundred dollars cheaper to begin with

    3. I've found most popular android brands do sell for a little less than their apple equivalent by about 10 to 15% when you adjust for new price difference. Eg. Samsung and Google Pixels are good value for reselling. Other brands don't have as big a following and are more difficult to resell, so the value does drop a little bit more.

    4. The new Asian brands like Oppo, Huawei, OnePlus are great value to buy when new, but don't have as big a following in Australia as they do overseas so reselling can be a bummer.

    5. Apple control everything about the iPhone's, including pricing, who sells them and at what prices. You never see an iPhone on special because apple won't allow it. So buyers can't wait for a discount in a few months because that never happens, they might as well buy it on launch date.
      Android phones buyers can wait for some cheap deals a few months down the line. And when new resellers drop their prices, the second hand market have to also drop their prices below that.
      This is good and bad for buyers depending on how long you use your phone's.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join