iPhone SE 4's Specs Could Lead to Enhanced Resale Value

Apple is expected to announce the fourth-generation iPhone SE as soon as tomorrow, potentially with improved long-term value retention, according to analysis by SellCell.

iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb 3
Despite its lower price point, the ‌iPhone‌ SE has historically struggled with resale value compared to Apple's higher end smartphones. According to SellCell's depreciation analysis, previous SE models have seen significantly faster value loss than standard iPhones. The third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE lost 42.6% of its value within the first month and 57.8% after six months, compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 15 lineup, which saw a decline of 28.8% in the first month and 27.8% after six months.

A similar pattern was seen with the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE, which experienced a 50.8% drop in value within six months, whereas the ‌iPhone‌ 14 series saw a 31.1% decrease over the same period. This is likely due to the ‌iPhone‌ SE's lower starting price, use of older designs, and lower overall demand in the second-hand market.

However, it is worth noting that some smaller and lower-cost iPhones have managed to retain their value more effectively. For example, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini held its value significantly better than the SE models. The device lost only 19.2% of its value in the first month, compared to 42.6% for the third-generation SE, and after 12 months, it had depreciated by 46.1%, compared to 64.4% for the third-generation SE. Even at 24 months, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini had lost just 53% of its original value, positioning it closer to flagship models than to SE devices.

As the new ‌iPhone‌ SE is expected to adopt a more modern design with significantly upgraded specifications, it could potentially alter the depreciation trend that has defined previous ‌iPhone‌ SE models. The shift to an ‌iPhone‌ 14-style design could improve long-term demand, and if Apple equips it with a considerably more high-end chipset and camera system as expected, as well as Apple Intelligence support, it may retain value more effectively than its predecessors because it will remain competitive in the lineup for longer.

Like other devices, the ‌iPhone‌ SE sees continued depreciation following the launch of a successor. The second-generation SE saw an additional 4% drop in value within 12 weeks of the third-generation SE's release. They tend to see accelerated depreciation after their initial launch window, meaning those looking to upgrade should do so quickly after launch to maximize resale value.

Pricing will also be a key factor in determining the fourth-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE's long-term value retention. Reports suggest the device may start at up to $499 in the United States, marking a slight increase from the current model's $429 price. While this could keep the new ‌iPhone‌ SE a compelling option for budget-conscious customers, it also raises expectations for hardware improvements that justify the price increase.

Apple's decision to delay the launch of the fourth-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE beyond its usual two-year upgrade cycle has also created a larger gap in its lineup, leaving fewer affordable options with up-to-date hardware. This may result in increased demand for the new ‌iPhone‌ SE when it launches, particularly if it offers substantial upgrades over previous models as expected.

Related Roundup: iPhone 16e
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 16e (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26 Maps Glass

Apple Reportedly Moving Ahead With Ads in Maps App

Sunday October 26, 2025 6:22 am PDT by
Apple Maps could feature integrated ads as soon as next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple's plan to bring more ads to iOS is moving "gaining traction," with the Maps app being next in line. The project will apparently give restaurants and other businesses the option to pay to have their details featured more prominently in...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday October 22, 2025 6:15 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. iOS 26.1 is currently in beta testing. The update will likely be released in the first half of November, and it is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, but some...
swift for android

Developers Can Now Make Android Apps With Apple's Swift

Sunday October 26, 2025 4:23 am PDT by
The first preview release of the Swift SDK for Android was published this week, allowing developers to build Android apps in Swift with official tooling and making it easier to share code across iOS and Android. The SDK enables Android apps to be built in Swift using officially supported tooling rather than community workarounds. In June, it was announced that Apple's Swift programming...

Top Rated Comments

Johnny907 Avatar
9 months ago
Going to be interesting to see if Apple releases real world test data showing cellular performance for the new SE with their homegrown modem compared to Qualcomm packing models.
That is my biggest concern and the only thing preventing me from immediately picking one up, and I can’t imagine I’m the only one with that concern.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Slix Avatar
9 months ago
This could be good long term for those wanting to sell theirs, but I would wager a guess that a majority of iPhone SE users don't have any intention of selling their phone, and probably just use it till it's run into the ground or their carrier gives them an acceptable trade-in deal to get something newer.

Signed, an iPhone SE 2nd gen user coming up on 5 years with the same phone. :P
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bousozoku Avatar
9 months ago
I can't imagine anyone who purposely bought the first three generations to care about resale value. I'm sure most of those people are worried about the devices lasting as long as possible.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
9 months ago
Despite its lower price point, the iPhone SE has historically struggled with resale value compared to Apple's higher end smartphones. According to SellCell's depreciation analysis, previous SE models have seen significantly faster value loss than standard iPhones. The third-generation iPhone SE lost 42.6% of its value within the first month and 57.8% after six months, compared to the iPhone 15 lineup, which saw a decline of 28.8% in the first month and 27.8% after six months.

A similar pattern was seen with the second-generation iPhone SE, which experienced a 50.8% drop in value within six months, whereas the iPhone 14 series saw a 31.1% decrease over the same period. This is likely due to the iPhone SE's lower starting price, use of older designs, and lower overall demand in the second-hand market.
An item isn't going to hold its value well when it's being significantly discounted by carriers.

I paid about $100 for the iPhone SE 2 through an MVNO carrier's holiday deal. I paid $49 for the iPhone SE 3 through another MVNO's holiday deal.

If carriers continue to offer deals like that with the iPhone SE 4 then it will have poor value retention as well.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Plutonius Avatar
9 months ago
I would be very surprised if the SE 4 starts at $499 since so much is changing.

My prediction is that it starts at $629.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brofkand Avatar
9 months ago
iPhone SE value deteriorates so badly because it's heavily discounted, if not given away, by prepaid carriers like Tracfone that will unlock it after just 60 days.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)