Investment bank Piper Jaffray has released the results of its iPhone resale value index, and it shows that Apple’s iPhone depreciates at a rate of less than half of equivalent Android devices from Samsung.
The inaugural report shared with AppleInsider compared U.S. eBay auction prices for the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, a method that looks to determine the current consumer climate for Apple’s handset.
According to analyst Gene Munster, the index is “a pulse on what consumers are willing to pay for unsubsidized phones in the US.”
“The key takeaway from 8 weeks of data is that the iPhone is holding slightly more of its value compared to the top two Galaxy phones,” Munster wrote.
Although the iPhone 5 is 46% more expensive that the Galaxy S III, it lost only 11.2% of its value compared to 13.7% for the Samsung device.
The highest performing handset in the focused study was the iPhone 4S, which only lost 7% of its value over the two month period. Second place was taken by the iPhone 4, with an 8.8% drop, followed by the iPhone 5.
The Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II were the biggest losers, with drops of 13.7% and 15% respectively.
The report notes that decreased auction pricing for the iPhone would suggest existing owners are expecting the release of a new version, and are flooding the market with their devices in anticipation of a next-generation model. The dip in valuation could also point to a shift in preference toward the Galaxy lineup.
“We believe that the iPhone aftermarket price should continue to decrease as we approach an iPhone 5S launch which we expect at the end of the month of September,” Munster said.
Piper Jaffray monitored eBay auction prices since March 15, taking weekly looks at the last 50 phones sold in order to determine a “fair value” for each device.
