In the world of refurbished smartphones, two mobile phone players reign supreme: Apple and Samsung. The two manufacturers largely dominate the ranking of second-hand mobiles.
Refurbished smartphones are popular. Better for the planet and for the wallet, these second-hand mobiles experienced, in 2021, an annual growth of 15% worldwide, according to the latest study by Counterpoint Research. This growth is mainly driven by two major players, according to the study: Apple and Samsung.
Samsung’s iPhones and Galaxy mobiles have enabled the refurbished sector to grow faster than the new telephone sector, which is showing growth of 4.5% in 2021. These figures are obviously to be taken with a grain of salt, since the volume of new smartphones on the market is higher, which makes growth more difficult, the volumes to maintain a positive curve being more important.
“With prices for new flagship smartphones remaining high, a larger share of consumers considered buying refurbished models from popular brands like Apple and Samsung“, details Counterpoint Research. According to the analysis firm, Apple’s smartphones are the best sellers in the refurbished market, although Samsung’s recent efforts in favor of durability work in its favor.
And in France ?
More locally, refurbished smartphones are also popular in France. According to a barometer established by Recommerce, a major player in French refurbished, 37% of the population has already taken the plunge and bought a refurbished phone, 51% of French people even saying they are interested and ready to buy a refurbished smartphone.
In France too, it is Apple’s iPhone that dominates sales. In the first half of 2021, of the 20 best-selling phones on the refurbished market, 14 are iPhones, according to Recommerce. There are also four Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy S9 and S10.
“97% of the value is captured by Samsung and Apple”, already explained to us Recommerce in 2019. And the dynamics have not really changed. The reason ? These are the smartphones that keep the best “residual value”. A two-year-old iPhone will fetch more than competitors’ phones due to less frequent promotions and price drops. The iPhone is also one of the best-monitored phones in terms of software. On the Samsung side, it’s pretty much the same thing: the refurbished allows you to acquire a high-end smartphone (and the image that goes with it) for less.