IPhone Ultra Could Lose $1,292 in Year One, Data Shows

Foldable phones already depreciate faster than traditional flagships, and Apple’s rumored entry into the category may not escape that pattern, even with the brand’s historically strong resale performance.

SellCell’s data puts the average first-year value loss for foldables at 64.6%, compared to 55.3% for traditional flagship phones. Because foldables launch at higher prices, that gap translates to a much larger dollar figure: roughly $997 lost on average for foldable owners versus $605 for standard smartphone buyers.

Apple has not confirmed the iPhone Ultra or its price. Multiple reports point to a 2026 launch near $2,000, and based on current foldable depreciation rates, SellCell estimates a device at that price could shed around $1,292 in its first year. That is a meaningful number even for buyers accustomed to premium Apple pricing.

The one variable that could soften the blow is Apple’s track record with resale value. The expected specs for the foldable aside, the iPhone 16 lineup held 51.5% of its value after twelve months, and nine of the ten best-performing phones in SellCell’s study were iPhones. If the Ultra carries that same resale strength into foldable territory, real-world losses would likely land below the category average.

What Buyers Should Consider

Even a more optimistic scenario leaves room for a roughly $1,000 loss in year one on a $2,000 device. That math gets worse if early hardware issues or a faster-than-expected successor announcement dent demand, both patterns the foldable category has seen before.

For anyone on the fence, Apple’s 14-day return window is the lowest-risk way to evaluate the device before depreciation starts compounding. After that window closes, the resale clock runs on foldable terms, not iPhone ones.