Short answer: yes, if you are upgrading anyway, and the sooner the better. As of September 19, 2026, we pay up to $952 for an iPhone 17 Pro Max in good condition, which covers 73% of the $1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max and leaves you $347 to find. Wait a year and that same phone becomes the two-year-old model, worth about $720 in today's book. That first year of waiting is the most expensive one you will ever have, and it started the moment the iPhone 18 Pro went on sale.
Below is what Apple launched, what your current device is worth right now, and the cases where trading in is genuinely not worth it.
What Apple launched at the Surprise and Shine event
Apple held its annual iPhone event on September 9, 2026 at Apple Park, the first product keynote under new CEO John Ternus. Pre-orders opened Saturday, September 12, and the phones and wearables reached buyers on Friday, September 18, in more than 65 countries, with 20 more following on September 25.
| Product | Starting price | Available | Headline change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro (6.3") | $1,199 | September 18 | A20 Pro, Apple's first 2nm chip |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max (6.9") | $1,299 | September 18 | Up to 45 hours video playback, 2TB option |
| iPhone Duo (foldable) | $1,999 | October 23 | 5.4" cover screen, 7.6" inner display |
| Apple Watch Series 12 | $399 | September 18 | S11 chip, Ceramic Shield, new health sensors |
| Apple Watch Ultra 4 | $799 | September 18 | Two-day battery, 18 hours full GPS tracking |
| AirPods 5 | $129 | September 18 | Active noise cancellation on the entry model |
A few things worth knowing before you decide what to do with your old device:
- There is no standard iPhone 18 this year. Apple launched the Pro models only. The base iPhone 18, the 18e and the Air 2 are expected in spring 2027, so if you were waiting for the cheaper model, you are waiting until next year.
- The Pro models went up $100. The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max launched at $1,099 and $1,199. Their replacements start at $1,199 and $1,299, which makes what you get for your old phone matter more than it did last year.
- The iPhone Duo is a separate launch. Pre-orders open October 16 and it ships October 23, so there is a month of runway if the foldable is the one you want.
- The 18 Pro is a real jump. The A20 Pro is built on a 2-nanometer process with sustained performance up to 40% faster than the A19 Pro, and the 48MP main camera gains a variable aperture from f/1.48 to f/4 with manual aperture and shutter controls.
What your current iPhone is worth right now
These are our own prices as of September 19, 2026, for a complete, working device in good condition (light wear, fully working), up to the best configuration. Your exact figure depends on storage, carrier and condition, and the instant quote shows it in about thirty seconds.
| Your phone | Age | Good condition, up to | Retained |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | 1 year | $952 | 81% |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | 2 years | $720 | 61% |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | 3 years | $550 | 47% |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 4 years | $415 | 35% |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | 5 years | $335 | 29% |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | 6 years | $220 | 19% |
"Retained" is that model's value as a share of what we pay for the brand-new iPhone 18 Pro Max today, which is the cleanest way to see the curve. Every model we buy, in every condition, is listed in our trade-in price index.
Does the trade-in actually cover the upgrade?
This is the question that matters, and the answer is much better than most people assume. Against the $1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max:
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: $952 covers 73%. You pay $347.
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: $720 covers 55%. You pay $579.
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: $550 covers 42%. You pay $749.
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: $415 covers 32%. You pay $884.
Your trade-iniPhone 17 Pro Max$952
The upgradeiPhone 18 Pro Max$1,299
If you are on a one-year or two-year upgrade cycle, the trade-in is doing most of the work. Even a three-year-old phone still covers more than 40% of the newest Pro Max. The drawer is the only option here that pays nothing.
What a year of waiting costs
Our own price book, read across generations, shows where the value actually goes. For the Pro Max in good condition:
- Year one costs $223. The 18 Pro Max sits at $1,175 today; the 17 Pro Max, one year older, is $952.
- Year two costs $232, from $952 down to $720.
- Year three costs $170, from $720 down to $550.
The steepest dollar losses land in the first two years, and the sharpest single moment is a successor launch. A phone is worth the most the day you decide to sell it, and a little less every week after. If you already know you are upgrading this fall, the cheapest version of that decision is the one you make now, not in January.
Apple Watch and AirPods: a different answer
The upgrade math changes a lot once you leave phones, and it is worth being blunt about it.
Apple Watch is still worth trading in. Against the $399 Series 12, a Series 11 at up to $277 covers 69% of the new watch, leaving $122 to pay. That is the best ratio in Apple's entire lineup right now. The Ultra 3 at up to $323 covers 40% of the $799 Ultra 4, which is respectable for a watch that holds its value unusually well.
AirPods are a different story. A pair of AirPods Pro 3 in good condition is worth up to $26, which covers 20% of the $129 AirPods 5. Fourth-generation AirPods with ANC come in around $18. Earbuds live in pockets, take the most abuse of anything Apple sells, and their used market reflects that. Trading in AirPods on their own is rarely worth the effort. Sending them with a phone or a watch in the same box, where the shipping is already paid for, is the sensible way to do it.
When trading in is not worth it
An honest list, because the answer is not always yes:
- Your phone is not paid off. If it is still on a carrier instalment plan, the balance travels with the device. Settle it first, or the trade-in creates a bill rather than clearing one.
- It is still locked. Activation Lock, Find My, a carrier finance lock or a blacklisted IMEI all stop a quote. We will not make an offer on a locked device, so sign out and switch the locks off before you ship. Our guide to prepping a device covers the order to do it in.
- It has a real job left. A working spare, a kid's first phone, a dashcam, a travel backup. A four-year-old iPhone at $415 is worth more to you as a second device than as $415.
- It does not power on. A device that will not turn on cannot be quoted at all. Repairing it first is almost never worth it on a phone more than three years old.
- It is AirPods alone. See above. Bundle them or keep them.
How to get the top price
- Quote it before you open the new box. Your price is locked for 21 days from the quote, so you can get the number today and ship next week without losing it.
- Be accurate about condition. Over-grading is the main reason a payout comes back lower than expected. The grading criteria are plain English, and choosing the right grade up front means the number you see is the number you get.
- Send it complete. A missing accessory reduces the price, and the quote shows the exact deduction before you accept.
- Do not wait for a better week. The value curve above is not seasonal. It only goes one way.
Ready to see your number? Get an instant quote in about thirty seconds, with free prepaid shipping and payment 1 to 2 business days after inspection.
Sources
- Apple Event Announced for September 9: 'Surprise and Shine', MacRumors
- Apple Event Recap With iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch, and AirPods, MacRumors
- Everything Apple announced at its Surprise and Shine event, Macworld
- Apple event 2026: Folding iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, added AI features and more, CNBC
- iPhone 18 Pro Is Official: Price, Release Date, Specs and Every New Feature, The Mac Observer
Trade-in figures are Techtree's own prices as of September 19, 2026, for a complete, working device in the stated condition, best configuration. Prices are reviewed daily and change; your quote is the authority.
