Samsung’s Used Phone Values See Sharp Increase

In recent months, Samsung’s used phones have become more valuable. The average price of used phones has surpassed 270,000 won for the first time in Korea. The newly released Galaxy S26 series played a key role in pushing record-breaking resale values.

Samsung’s used phone sales have seen a sharp rise lately

According to data from UPM (via ETNews), the average price of Samsung’s used phones hit 271,575 won (around $179) in March. This is a 56.2% increase from 173,844 won (around $114) in February. It also beats the previous record of 248,067 won (around $163).

Furthermore, the number of Samsung phones sold in the used market saw solid momentum. In March, 362,922 units were traded with a total value of 98.56 billion won. Samsung captured 58.25% of the total market value while Apple secured 42.62%.

That said, when it comes to price per used device, Apple leads this space with around $518. The good news is that Samsung dominates in terms of volume. The Korean firm accounted for about 75% of all used phones sold, compared to roughly 25% for the Cupertino giant. Simply put, used iPhones remain more expensive, while Galaxy phones are more widely traded.

Samsung saw a sharp increase thanks to solid demand for its latest Galaxy S26 series. Since many users upgraded to the new models, they sold their older Galaxy phones in the used market. This increased the number of premium models available, raising the average price.

The Galaxy S26 lineup broke previous pre-order records in South Korea with about 1.35 million units. Specifically, the Ultra model captured a large share (about 70%), showing solid demand despite its steep price tag. The phone comes with a host of meaningful upgrades, including an innovative privacy display and 60W wired charging.

Samsung has also been trying to reduce the depreciation of used phones. The company created a “Galaxy Value Innovation” team within Mobile eXperience Business in 2024. It also continues to make available refurbished phones.