Used iPhones More Appealing Amid Price Hike Warning
8 reported
According to a WIRED report, recent developments have made buying a used iPhone more appealing than before. Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook told The Wall Street Journal that price increases for Apple products would soon be “unavoidable,” citing an ongoing memory shortage driven by demand for AI data centers. Apple did not respond to a request for comment. The report notes that Apple’s upcoming iOS 27, detailed at WWDC in early June, aims to help older iPhones last longer by improving the CPU scheduler, potentially keeping the iPhone 11 functional. Refurbished tech marketplace Back Market reported sales jumped in 2025 amid tariff concerns, and CEO Thibaud Hug de Larauze said sales spiked slightly after Cook’s statement. iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens stated, “Buying used has never made more sense,” noting that older phones from recent years are “really good.” The report also notes that battery replacements for older iPhones are cheaper, with Apple charging $119 for an iPhone 17 battery swap versus $30 less for an iPhone 13.
What’s reported
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook said price increases for Apple products would soon be “unavoidable,” citing a memory shortage.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment from WIRED.
Apple’s iOS 27, detailed at WWDC in early June, includes CPU scheduler improvements to help older iPhones like the iPhone 11 last longer.
Back Market sales jumped in 2025 due to tariff concerns, and sales spiked slightly after Cook’s statement, according to CEO Thibaud Hug de Larauze.
iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens said, “Buying used has never made more sense.”
Apple charges $119 for an iPhone 17 battery replacement; an iPhone 13 battery upgrade is $30 cheaper.
IDC research manager Jitesh Ubrani said Apple has mostly absorbed extra costs and released the MacBook Neo at $599 in March.
Refurbished smartphone sales grew more slowly than expected in 2025, per Counterpoint.
Key figures
Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit
Tim Cook, outgoing Apple CEO
Thibaud Hug de Larauze, CEO of Back Market
Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC
Sources: Wired
