The Harsh Math Behind a $2,000 Foldable iPhone Ultra
Apple’s upcoming foldable iPhone Ultra, a premium smartphone expected to cost around USD 2,000 (approx. RM9,200), is projected by resale data to depreciate far faster than standard iPhones, potentially falling to about USD 708 (approx. RM3,260) after one year and highlighting how foldable phone resale value lags behind traditional flagship smartphone residual value. That is the uncomfortable truth early buyers need to face: this isn’t a luxury iPhone that behaves like previous premium iPhones, it’s a high-risk first-generation foldable where the main feature comes bundled with unusually steep financial loss. A study commissioned by used-phone marketplace SellCell found that foldable smartphone owners lose almost USD 1,000 (approx. RM4,600) on average within 12 months, nearly USD 400 (approx. RM1,840) more than buyers of traditional flagship devices. In that context, iPhone Ultra depreciation is not an outlier; it is the logical extension of an already punishing trend.
Foldables Bleed Value Faster Than Slab Phones
The SellCell data is blunt: foldable smartphones lose an average of 64.6% of their value—about USD 997.69 (approx. RM4,590)—within 12 months, compared with 55.3% and USD 605.32 (approx. RM2,790) for traditional flagships over the same period. That means foldables retain just 35.4% of their launch price after a year, while regular flagships keep 44.7%. In resale terms, folding screens are a liability. The worst example in the study, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 1TB, shed USD 1,479.99 (approx. RM6,810) in a single year. Five of the six largest monetary value losses recorded were foldables. These aren’t edge cases; they define the category. Buyers pay a high launch premium to fund experimental hardware—complex hinges, fragile display stacks, novel adhesives—and the second-hand market responds by punishing that risk with aggressive markdowns.
| Device type | 12‑month value loss | Value retained after 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Foldable smartphones | 64.6% (USD 997.69 / approx. RM4,590) | 35.4% of launch price |
| Traditional flagships | 55.3% (USD 605.32 / approx. RM2,790) | 44.7% of launch price |
Can Apple’s Strong Residual Value Save the iPhone Ultra?
Apple devices usually behave differently. Nine of the ten best-performing phones for value retention in the SellCell study were iPhones, and the iPhone 16 lineup held onto 51.5% of its value after 12 months—the best record among major brands. OnePlus came second at 46.8%, followed by Google at 40.8%, Samsung at 39.5% and Motorola at 24.5%. This history matters because the headline USD 1,292 (approx. RM5,950) loss on a hypothetical USD 2,000 (approx. RM9,200) iPhone Ultra assumes it depreciates like Android foldables. If Apple’s foldable behaved more like an iPhone 16, first-year loss could fall to roughly USD 970 (approx. RM4,470)—still a major premium iPhone loss, but more in line with Apple’s usual advantage. The brand’s demand profile and scarce discounts should support resale, yet even that advantage only trims, rather than eliminates, the foldable penalty.
Premium Pricing Magnifies Every Percentage Drop
Foldables don’t just lose a higher percentage—they start from a much higher base. When a USD 2,000 (approx. RM9,200) iPhone Ultra drops 64.6%, the owner watches around USD 1,292 (approx. RM5,950) evaporate, ending with an estimated USD 708 (approx. RM3,260) in residual value. That is far more painful than the typical USD 605.32 (approx. RM2,790) hit on a regular flagship. Other foldables show the same pattern. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 1TB’s USD 1,479.99 (approx. RM6,810) loss is what happens when a super‑premium launch price meets aggressive depreciation. In absolute terms, high introductory pricing transforms normal market wear into brutal balance‑sheet damage. This is the heart of the foldable phone resale value problem: the gap between what early adopters pay to be first and what the wider market thinks the device is worth a year later.
First-Gen Foldable Risk: Why the Ultra Is a Want, Not an Investment
The iPhone Fold/iPhone Ultra is already said to be in production, but its launch still depends on Apple resolving hinge design issues, underlining that this is an unproven category for the company. First-generation foldables historically perform worst on resale because they are quickly overshadowed by refined second‑generation hardware. Once a successor arrives—with stronger hinges, fewer display problems, and refined design—the market reprices the original as a beta device. According to the SellCell analysis, “buying the iPhone Fold at launch means absorbing the full hit on an unproven product category for Apple,” and “the data suggests the iPhone Fold is a device to buy because you want it, not because you expect to recoup the cost.” The message is clear: if you are considering Apple’s foldable, treat iPhone Ultra depreciation as the entry fee for experimentation, not a surprise charge.
