Google Pixel 6 vs. iPhone 13: Which New Flagship Holds Its Value Best?

The iPhone 13’s depreciation rate is half that of the Google Pixel 6.

• Apple’s iPhone 13 is the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, with its value improving since initial depreciation post-launch.
• The iPhone 13 holds its value by 50% more than the Pixel 6, with Google’s handset only one month into its life cycle.
• Super Fast Cell correctly predicted further iPhone 13 value recovery between months two and three.

Apple is now 3 months into its latest generation of iPhone with the 13-series. However, two months post iPhone 13 launch, Google’s Pixel 6 hit the shelves. Some lauded Google’s latest smartphone as a serious contender to Apple’s crown. So, is it?

Well, despite an incredibly impressive spec sheet, even when we compare it with the iPhone 13, Google’s new flagship, seemingly, isn’t looking like an urgent threat to Apple’s crown… at least not just yet. How is this? Well, Apple’s iPhone 13 range of smartphones is holding its value impressively since its September debut. The Pixel 6? Not so much.

Both smartphones have been subject to the same component shortages as almost all other brands in the tech sector, no matter what hardware they manufacture or design. This means that stock availability has been lower than expected, driving demand up while supplies remain limited. Or, at least, this is what one would expect.

Super Fast Cell has compared Apple’s iPhone 13 depreciation over three months with that of Google’s Pixel 6 depreciation one month after launch. Let’s see whether the latest handset from Google could see a similarly powerful position post-launch as the iPhone 13, and whether the Pixel 6 is shaping up for a land-grab.

• Apple’s iPhone 13 enjoys continued buoyancy in terms of valuation, recovering yet more of its initial depreciation in months two and three. At an average of 21.8%, this is still the most successful launch an iPhone has seen and represents tremendously low depreciation across the entire smartphone industry.
• Google’s Pixel 6 has not fared so well in its first month. Across all five Pixel 6 models, the range has lost an average of 42.6% in value. This compares to a 24.9% average depreciation value in the iPhone 13’s first month, a difference of 17.7%.
• On average, we saw iPhone depreciation slowing between months one and two; the iPhone 13 lost on average 0.6% of its value. Could the Pixel 6 see a similar uptick in value?
• During months two and three, the depreciation value of the iPhone 13 didn’t increase at all, in fact it decreased from 25.5% in month two, to 21.8% in month three, a recovery of 3.7%, meaning the iPhone 13’s value went up, not down.
• The cheapest of Google’s new handsets, the Pixel 6 128 GB, lost the least value of all Google’s new handset range, with only 36.6% depreciation. By comparison, the least expensive iPhone 13 Mini 128 GB lost 26.9%.
• Every iPhone 13 model has seen a recovery in value compared to the initial depreciation at launch, and all iPhone 13 models are now worth more than they were 2 months ago.
• January 2022 (coincidentally, when Google Store anticipates shipping Pixel 6 handset again) will tell whether the Pixel 6 poses any real threat to the iPhone 13, although initial figures suggest Apple has little to worry about.

Findings

Super Fast Cell has researched trade-in values across over 45 trusted buyback vendors, which illustrates trends associated with the depreciation rates of both the iPhone 13 and the Pixel 6 smartphone ranges. It is too early to know what Pixel 6 depreciation will look like in months two and three. However, we may not need that information to foresee how the Pixel 6 measures up against Apple’s latest handsets.

As we can see from the data above, the value of the iPhone 13 series has improved between months two and three. Not just one or two handsets, either; we can see value recovery across every model in the 13 range. This is impressive. It shows that, despite the knowledge of a longer wait for the iPhone 13, consumer intent hasn’t waned. People have waited for the latest handset from Apple, be that patiently or otherwise.

Apple’s handsets are now hitting stores though, with the 13 Mini and standard 13 (supposedly) available. What this does to value depreciation across the 13-series remains for us to see. However, it wouldn’t be unthinkable that the rate of value recovery would slow now that more consumers are receiving their handsets.

It is difficult to say at this stage. While the Pixel 6 initial depreciation figures aren’t even close to Apple’s iPhone 13, this doesn’t mean we should discount the Pixel 6 altogether.

Not only is the least expensive of Google’s new handsets holding its value best; Google is also creating demand of its own by suggesting that no further Pixel 6 smartphones will ship prior to January 2022. Will Google capitalize on scarcity, or catastrophically miss out on holiday sales due to low stocks? That all depends on whether consumers are happy to order and wait it out, as iPhone buyers have.

The data, however, may simply confirm that you are better off, investment-wise, buying an iPhone than any other smartphone brand. Whether you trade in two months or two years down the line, Super Fast Cell’s continuous research across over 45 trusted buyback vendors tells us that your investment is best protected by Apple.

By accessing so much data, Super Fast Cell can accurately illustrate which smartphones perform the best in depreciation terms. It is for this reason that, when you come to trade in your handset, you should always use a comparison service like Super Fast Cell. That way, you know you’re always getting the best protection on your initial financial investment by guaranteeing yourself the best return.