iPhone 17 Pro Max tops trade-in charts within four months: Here’s why

Apple’s latest flagship, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, has become the most traded-in smartphone just months after launch—not due to flaws, but thanks to unusually strong resale value.

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max has emerged as the most traded-in smartphone barely four months after its debut, an unusual trend that might typically signal product issues. However, fresh data shows the surge is being driven by strength, not weakness.

According to figures reported by MacRumors, based on trade-in data from SellCell, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is holding its value significantly better than previous generations. Over roughly 145 days, the device has lost about 25.4% of its launch value—far less than the 32.5% depreciation seen in the iPhone 16 Pro Max over the same period.

This slower depreciation translates into roughly $95 more in average trade-in value compared to its predecessor, encouraging users to cash in early rather than hold on. As a result, the iPhone 17 Pro Max now accounts for 11.5% of all devices in the top-20 trade-in rankings, with its share more than doubling in just 12 weeks.

What makes the trend more striking is that trade-in charts are usually dominated by much older devices with larger user bases. A current flagship climbing to the top so quickly is rare. Data also shows that about 86% of traded-in units were in mint or good condition, suggesting many owners flipped their devices soon after purchase rather than upgrading out of necessity.

With mint-condition units fetching an average resale price of around $967.50, users are able to recover a large portion of their initial spend once the novelty wears off. Combined with increasingly capable mid-range smartphones and tighter consumer budgets, the strong resale performance explains why owners are choosing to trade in early.

For those planning to hold onto their device longer, the trend suggests the iPhone 17 Pro Max should continue to retain value well into the next upgrade cycle.