Smartphone Market Trends in 2020: What They Taught Us About Used and Refurbished Phones

2020 was a strange year for the smartphone industry. It was a strange year for just about everything. People were working from home, shopping online more often, spending more time on video calls, and using their phones for even more of their daily lives. At the same time, a lot of people were also being more careful with money. That combination changed the way many shoppers looked at phones.

For years, the conversation around smartphones was mostly about the newest model. What did Apple release? What did Samsung change? Which phone had the best camera? Those questions still mattered, but in 2020, more people started asking different questions.

Do I actually need a brand-new phone? Is last year’s model still good enough? Should I buy refurbished instead? Is the phone sitting in my drawer still worth anything?

Those questions are a big part of what we deal with every day at SmartphonesPLUS. We buy and sell used electronics, so we get to see how phones hold value after they leave the original owner. Looking back at 2020 is useful because a lot of the habits that grew during that time are still shaping the used and refurbished phone market today.

People Started Looking More Closely at Value

One of the biggest changes in 2020 was that more buyers started paying attention to value instead of only looking for the newest device. That does not mean people stopped buying premium phones. Apple, Samsung, and other major brands still sold millions of devices. But more customers became open to phones that were a generation or two older, especially if the price made sense.

That matters in the used phone market. When buyers are more open to older models, those devices tend to hold value longer. A phone does not need to be the newest release to be worth buying, selling, or trading in. If it still works well, has decent battery life, runs current apps, and is priced fairly, there is usually still demand for it.

We see this often with iPhones in particular. Even when a model is no longer new, people still want it because they know the brand, they are familiar with iOS, and they trust the device to do what they need.

Samsung Stayed Strong Because It Had Options

Samsung continued to be one of the strongest smartphone brands in 2020. A big reason for that was the number of options Samsung had available.

Some brands focus mostly on premium phones. Samsung has those too, but it also sells phones across lower and mid-range price points. That gave shoppers more choices at a time when many people were trying to be smarter with their money.

In the third quarter of 2020, Samsung sold 80.4 million phones. Apple sold 40.5 million, while Xiaomi and Huawei also remained major players, selling 42 million and 65 million units respectively.

Those numbers matter beyond the new phone market. When a lot of phones are sold new, those same devices eventually make their way into the used and refurbished market. Some are traded in after one or two years. Some are sold when people upgrade. Some are damaged but still have usable parts or resale value.

High sales volume can be good for resale because customers recognize the model. At the same time, it can also create more supply, which affects pricing. That is why condition, storage size, carrier status, and demand all matter when valuing a used phone.

Mid-Range Phones Became Harder to Ignore

Another big trend in 2020 was the rise of better mid-range phones.

The OnePlus Nord was a good example. It offered many features people expected from a more expensive phone, including a 6.4-inch AMOLED display, a 90Hz refresh rate, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The camera was not the strongest part of the phone, but the overall value made it appealing.

The Samsung Galaxy A51 was another strong example. It became one of Samsung’s most popular models, selling close to 15 million units worldwide. Its 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display made it a good fit for people who wanted a large screen for videos, games, and everyday use without paying flagship prices.

This is where the market started to get interesting. If a mid-range phone could handle most daily tasks well, some buyers had less reason to spend top dollar on a flagship model.

That also affects used phone values. Older flagship phones have to compete with newer budget and mid-range phones. A used iPhone or Galaxy S model may still be the better device, but the price has to make sense. Buyers compare what they can get used versus what they can get new at a similar price.

That is part of why the used phone market is always moving. Prices are not based only on age. They are based on demand, condition, features, brand trust, and what other options buyers have at the same time.

Older iPhones Continued to Hold Attention

The iPhone 7 was still being bought and sold in 2020, even though Apple had released several newer models by then.

That says a lot about how iPhones hold value. The iPhone 7 was not the newest or fastest phone on the market, but it gave people a lower-cost way to get into the Apple ecosystem. For someone who wanted iMessage, FaceTime, and a familiar iPhone experience, an older model could still make sense at the right price.

The iPhone 11 was also a strong option. It had a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display, a 12MP camera, and Apple’s A13 Bionic chip. For a lot of people, it felt modern without costing as much as Apple’s highest-end models.

We see this same pattern today. iPhones often continue to have demand years after release because people know what they are getting. That does not mean every old iPhone is worth a lot, but it does mean many of them still have value longer than people expect.

Condition still matters. Battery health matters. Storage size matters. Whether the phone is unlocked matters. But age alone does not make a phone worthless.

Refurbished Phones Became a More Practical Choice

Refurbished phones became more appealing in 2020 because they solved a simple problem. People needed reliable devices, but not everyone wanted to pay new-phone prices.

A refurbished phone can make a lot of sense for someone who wants to save money and still get a device that works well. It can also be a good option for parents buying phones for kids, people replacing a broken device, or shoppers who simply do not care about having the newest model.

The sustainability side also became more important. More people started thinking about electronic waste and how many devices sit unused in drawers. Selling, repairing, refurbishing, or recycling an old phone keeps it from going to waste and gives it a second life.

That is one of the main reasons companies like SmartphonesPLUS exist. A device may no longer be useful to one person, but it may still be useful to someone else. Even damaged devices can sometimes be repaired, used for parts, or recycled properly.

What Affects a Phone’s Trade-In Value?

Market trends can influence prices, but the value of a specific phone usually comes down to a few practical details.

The model is one of the biggest factors. Some models have stronger demand than others. iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Google Pixel phones are usually easier for buyers to recognize, which can help them hold value.

Condition is another major factor. A phone with a cracked screen, back glass damage, poor battery health, camera problems, or heavy wear will usually be worth less than the same model in better condition. That does not always mean it has no value. Many damaged phones can still be sold, repaired, or used for parts.

Storage size can also affect value. A higher-storage model may be worth more than the base model, especially with iPhones. Carrier status matters too. Unlocked phones are usually easier to resell because they work for more buyers.

Timing also plays a role. Phone values usually decline over time, especially after new models are released. If you already know you are done using a device, waiting too long can mean getting less for it later.

That is something we see often. A phone sits in a drawer for a year or two, and by the time the owner finally decides to sell it, the value has dropped. If you are not using the device anymore, it is usually worth checking the value sooner rather than later.

What 2020 Still Teaches Us Today

The biggest lesson from 2020 is that people care about value. Some shoppers will always want the newest phone. There is nothing wrong with that. But a lot of people are perfectly happy buying a used or refurbished phone if it saves them money and still does what they need.

That also means old devices can still have value. A phone does not have to be brand new to be useful. It does not have to be perfect to be worth something. Even a broken phone may still have resale, repair, parts, or recycling value.

For sellers, that means the device sitting in a drawer may be worth checking. For buyers, it means refurbished phones can be a smart way to save money without giving up the features that matter most.

Should You Sell Your Old Phone?

If you have an old phone, tablet, smartwatch, laptop, or other electronic device that you are not using, it is worth seeing what it is worth.

The process is simple with SmartphonesPLUS. You can get an instant quote, ship your device for free, and get paid after the device is received and inspected. If the device condition or model is different from what was selected during the quote process, we will send an updated offer. You can accept it or have the device returned.

That gives you a way to turn an unused device into cash instead of letting it continue to lose value.

Should You Buy Refurbished?

Buying refurbished can also be a good option if you want a reliable phone without paying full price for a new one.

The main thing is to buy from a seller that clearly explains the device condition, tests the phone, and stands behind what it sells. Cosmetic wear does not always mean poor performance. A phone with light scratches may still work perfectly well and cost much less than a brand-new device.

For many people, that tradeoff makes sense. You can get a phone that fits your needs while spending less.

The Bottom Line

The smartphone market in 2020 showed that buyers were becoming more practical. New phones still mattered, but price, reliability, and long-term value became a bigger part of the decision.

That trend has not gone away. Used and refurbished phones continue to be a smart option for many buyers, and old devices often still have value for sellers.

If you have a phone or electronic device you are no longer using, it may be worth more than you think. Getting a trade-in quote is an easy way to find out.