New trade-in data indicates that Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max has quickly become the most traded-in smartphone ever. According to a new report issued by SellCellApple’s latest flagship phone has quickly risen to the top of the standalone trade-in market, accounting for 11.5% of all devices appearing in our Top 20 trade-in device rankings just months after its launch. The analysis is based on internal replacement data for SellCell and secondary market price trends collected from 40 independent iPhone buyers.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s share in the top 20 trade-in rankings rose from about 5.1% in late November to 11.5% by early February, more than doubling in about 12 weeks. 86% of the units exchanged were rated as Mint or Good condition, indicating that many owners are selling their devices soon after purchase.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max still stand out, each accounting for about 7.3% of trade-ins, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 13 each account for 7.2 percent of trade-ins. Combined, the top 20 devices account for approximately 47% of all replacement activity.
Replacement ratings typically reflect a broad mix of devices at different points in their life cycle, with older models often dominating resale volume due to large installed bases and a natural upgrade cycle. Therefore, the rapid rise of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is notable because the device only entered the market relatively recently, yet it has already become the most widely traded model across the channels tracked.
Apparently, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has lost about 25.4% of its value since launch when measuring the average resale prices of devices in excellent condition over a period of 145 days. Over a similar period of time, the iPhone 16 Pro Max lost approximately 32.5% of its value. This represents a lower value decline of more than 7% for the newer model and translates to up to $95 in additional retained value compared to the previous generation over the same period.
And attribute SellCell Early exchanges are primarily due to strong resale prices. The average resale value for iPhone 17 Pro Max in excellent condition is currently around $967.50. Luxury smartphones can act as short-term assets that owners may sell for cash when needed, so the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s rise to the top of trade-in likely reflects broader economic conditions.
