Fans divided over claims new iPhone could lose value really quickly

The excitement of getting a new phone can be reminiscent of the feeling experienced as a child on Christmas Day. Shiny and brand new, you spend hours getting used to your new plaything and quickly say goodbye to whatever it has replaced.

But before a new iPhone can even be released to Apple fans eager to buy it, new research has shown the moment you buy may well be comparable to driving a new car off the forecourt.

We're talking depreciation, and how much you could get if you wanted to trade it in in a few years time.

And in particular, we're talking about that in relation to Apple's rumoured iPhone SE 4.

There's no date for the release of the iPhone SE 4 but the phone is heavily rumoured to be in the works for a 2025 release, with Apple yet to respond to requests for comment on the product.

Regardless of confirmation or not, SellCell has crunched the numbers on previous SE models of the iPhone and suggested that an iPhone SE 4's resale value could be poorer than the rest.

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Its research looks at the history of iPhone models, with the SE models historically depreciating in value quicker than the more premium phones you can buy from Apple.

Crunching the numbers, the iPhone SE 3rd Gen (128GB), released in 2022, had lost 63.9 percent of its suggested retail price after 12 months.

Compared to the the iPhone 14 Pro Max (128GB) only lost 37.1 percent of its value in the same time frame.

The rumoured spec for the new device includes a 6.1" OLED display; iPhone 14-like design; Face ID; 48MP rear camera; 5G; and USB-C charging. The SE models usually include parts of iPhones that already exist, which is partly why they are sold for a lower price than the premium modes.

On the long-term value of the device, Apple fans have had their say on if it even matters.

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Over on X (formerly Twitter), one wrote: "It's an unnecessary phone."

Yet another said: "This is awesome! An updated affordable iPhone that will get in the hands of many. My 80 year old grandmother had an SE model and she loved it."

A third added: "Small yet powerful, this packs a punch without breaking the bank! I can see it being a go-to pick for many."

On the potential re-sale value, another posted: "Not sure why this is a thing. I know a dozen people with SEs.

"Not one of them gives a hoot about their phone’s resale value. They use their phones until they stop functioning."

And one other sarcastically said: "You mean to tell me that the phone built with several generations old technology will not hold value like the phones often built with technology well ahead of the market?"

Opinion clearly comes down to the purpose of a budget iPhone to the buyer, with those buying them maybe not too bothered about upgrading after a year or 18 months.

LADbible has approached Apple for comment.