- The second-hand smartphone market continues to grow faster than the primary market, up 6% year-on-year in 2024
- Apple remains dominant in the refurbished market, followed by Samsung
- Chinese brands are seeing burgeoning growth in emerging markets like Asia and Africa
- Trend toward lower-cost devices continues, leading to a drop in market value of 6%
- The organized secondary smartphone market is set to grow by 7% by 2028, compared with just 2% for the primary market
London, 21 March 2025: According to a recent report by CCS Insight, the organized second-hand smartphone market saw a healthy 6% year-on-year growth in 2024, surpassing that of the primary market. This shift highlights the growing importance of second-hand smartphones, which are steadily gaining market share from new devices and the unorganized second-hand market.
Apple continues to dominate the second-hand market, holding a 60% share. Samsung ranks second, seeing a slight decline in its market share to 17%. CCS Insight notes that, in emerging markets across Asia and Africa, Chinese brands including Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi are gaining traction in the second-hand market, particularly among first-time smartphone users upgrading from feature phones or entry-level smartphones costing less than $100.
In line with these upgrades, shipments of 5G devices surged, by 46% year-on-year, now accounting for more than half of the global secondary smartphone market. However, the total market value declined by 6% to $32 billion, owing to a preference for older models such as the iPhone 11, which remained the best-selling model in 2024. Additionally, the average price of a second-hand smartphone fell by 11% to $275, reflecting a broader trend toward cheaper devices.
Leo Gebbie, CCS Insight’s Principal Analyst and Director for the Americas, comments: “The growing demand for used smartphones is driven by a stronger desire for low-cost devices, increased consumer awareness and partnerships between telecom operators and retailers”. He adds, “What began as a necessity during the Covid-19 pandemic has evolved into a strong consumer preference. Refurbished smartphones, which are often up to 50% cheaper than new devices, now also come with warranties, flexible financing options and reliable after-sales service, increasing consumer trust”.
Asia–Pacific remains the largest region in sales of second-hand devices and revenue generated, with North America and Europe following behind. However, dynamics vary greatly by region. For example, trade-in offers from American carriers are crucial in generating supply of second-hand iPhones to fuel the global market.
Notably, the Radio Equipment Directive, which bans imports of non-USB-C charging cables and devices into the EU, came into effect on 28 December 2024. Simon Bryant, Vice President of Research at CCS Insight, explains: “Resellers and traders had some breathing room to adjust their strategies in 2024, but uncertainty in where and how the ruling will be policed at a country or EU level persists. We expect it will affect the supply of imported devices in 2025, harming sales by failing to fulfil the demand for popular models, particularly the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13”.
Gebbie adds, “The launch of the iPhone 16e, offering flagship-level performance at a midrange $600 price, intensifies the challenge by directly competing with new and second-hand models. Battery performance is a main concern for consumers buying second-hand phones, and demand for older iPhone models is expected to decline, further driving down prices. However, ultralow-cost options are likely to remain popular among price-sensitive consumers”.
Furthermore, recent trade tensions and tariffs imposed by the US may restrict spending on new smartphones, potentially boosting growth in the second-hand market. CCS Insight forecasts a 6% increase in the organized secondary smartphone market in 2025, with this growth expected to continue to 2028 at a compound annual growth rate of 7%. This significantly outpaces the primary smartphone market, which is expected to grow by just 2%.
The latest quarterly update of CCS Insight’s global market tracker is available now. Contact CCS Insight for more information.
Notes to Editors
CCS Insight’s Pulse dashboard presents findings from original research, with this latest update conducted between January and February 2025. The methodology includes sell-out data provided by more than 40 market participants, senior-level discussions to complete channel and country market sizes and price scraping of major players in the market.
The dashboard explores the overall market for mobile devices, including primary and secondary markets for smartphones, smartwatches and tablets. It specifically zooms in on the organized secondary segment, presenting analysis of device models, features, brand metrics and more.
More details of CCS Insight’s extensive research into connected devices can be found at: https://www.ccsinsight.com/research-areas/connected-devices/
About CCS Insight
CCS Insight’s research and advisory services keep technology companies informed of current and future trends in a range of industries. Its global insights provide technology professionals with clarity and confidence in their decision-making processes.
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