By, smartwatches 15/09/2022

Why iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 are Still Selling as Used Smartphones - ITmedia Mobile

　In the mobile industry, the next iPhone, which is expected to be announced soon, is attracting attention, but in the used industry, the "iPhone 8" and "iPhone 7" are still hot sellers. Looking at the smartphone sales rankings announced by second-hand dealers, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 dominate the top ranks. The iPhone 8 was released in 2017 and the iPhone 7 was released in 2016. It's surprising that a model that was released four to five years ago is still selling well, even though it's used.

"iPhone 8" and "iPhone 7" dominate the second half of 2021 second-hand smartphone sales ranking on the Geo store

　This time, Geo Holdings (hereafter, Geo Holdings), which handles second-hand smartphones ) and Belong, which develops “Nikosma”, which mainly deals with used iPhones, we asked them about the top-selling trend of used iPhones.

　Geo emphasizes "high cost performance". Now, if you want to buy the latest iPhone brand new, even the cheapest "iPhone 12 mini" 64GB costs 82,280 yen (including tax, the same below) when sold directly by Apple. Even the cheap "iPhone SE (2nd generation)" 64GB is sold directly by Apple for 49,280 yen. On the other hand, even good iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 are mainly in the 20,000 yen range, and can be purchased much cheaper than the latest brand new models. "For the 10,000 to 20,000 yen range, in addition to the specifications that fully satisfy the needs such as crisp operation, high-definition camera, Suica (Apple Pay), and waterproofing, there is a growing tendency to continue using the same terminal for a long time. I think that being there is also a factor.” (Geo)

"iPhone 8" released in 2017"iPhone 7" released in 2016

Belong points out trends in used smartphones in general. “There is a tendency for second-hand smartphones to increase in transaction volume in the second-hand market after three to four years have passed since a new product was released. Looking at the transaction status in the market, iPhone 7 was the most traded in 2020, but iPhone 8 is the most traded in 2021.”

　The prices on Nikosma are 23,500 yen to 25,000 yen for the iPhone 8 (64GB, A grade) and 20,500 yen to 21,500 yen for the iPhone 7 (32GB, A grade). If it is B grade, the lowest price will drop to 17,000 yen. It seems that such low prices are boosting popularity like GEO.

Nikosma's iPhone 8 is in good condition and can be purchased from 23,500 yen. The iPhone up to the iPhone 8 is symbolized by the home button under the display, and the iPhone 5s and later have a fingerprint sensor here. On the other hand, the current "iPhone 12" and "iPhone 11" do not use Touch ID, and biometric authentication uses face authentication using Face ID. However, Face ID cannot be used while wearing a mask, as people are forced to live with masks due to the corona crisis. Touch ID can be used regardless of wearing a mask, so it is once again in the spotlight.

With the Touch ID built into the home button, you can unlock it even while wearing a mask

``The iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 have physical buttons, so you can use fingerprint authentication without stress. It was re-evaluated for its ability to boot and its high level of security.” (Geo)

``We also heard from customers that they wanted a model with fingerprint authentication instead of face authentication.'' I think more and more users are choosing their devices.” (Belong)

While the need for the Touch ID model is increasing, the popularity of the "iPhone SE (1st generation)" released in 2016 is still high on Nikosma, and in the July sales ranking, it ranked third, ahead of the iPhone 7. is attached to For the iPhone SE (1st generation), the A grade price is even cheaper at 11,000 yen to 12,000 yen.

iPhone 8 tops the used smartphone sales ranking in July 2021 on Nikosma, but iPhone SE (1st generation) is also on the rise

iPhone 8/7 are still active Although it can be used, the longer the model is used, the more the battery deteriorates. Even if you bought a second-hand iPhone cheaply, it is meaningless if the battery runs out quickly. The used smartphones that it sells are specialized in high-quality "three-star smartphones". Nikosma only sells smartphones with a battery capacity of 80% or more, and the battery capacity is specified for each product. . Some of the products are 100%, so they should be usable as good as new. Even GEO is considering specifying the state of the battery at the store.

On Nikosma, you can also search in descending order of battery capacity. There are many 100% models

　In addition, although the iPhone 8/7 will be compatible with iOS 15, which will be released this fall, it is unknown to what extent they will be compatible with the latest OS in the future. Still, it will support at least the next OS in 2022, so you can use the latest OS for the next year. It can be said that how long the iPhone 8/7 will sell depends on the state of support for the latest OS. On the other hand, GEO said, ``It's not that the models whose support has ended have completely stopped selling. , new ways to use it are born,” he commented. There seems to be a certain need in the second-hand market even for terminals whose OS support has ended.

What about models after the "iPhone X" without a home button? In the case of GEO, comparing the first quarter of 2021 with the previous year, ``iPhone 8 is 120%, while the next-generation iPhone XR is 128%, and we recognize that the generational change is gradually starting. I am doing it." Nikosuma says that “iPhone XS” is popular after iPhone X. The price as of September is 37,000 yen for C grade and 44,500 yen for A grade. "It's been almost three years since the new model was released, and the price has come down, so I think many customers choose it because they want a slightly newer model than the iPhone 8 because they can afford it a little more." Belong)

Which model will sell well after iPhone X? This is the "iPhone XR"

Both the iPhone XR and iPhone XS were released in 2018. It is expected that these products will be as cheap as the current iPhone 8/7, and that they will sell at the same level as the iPhone 8/7 when the corona converges and the mask life is released. On the other hand, Belong is paying attention to "iPhone SE (2nd generation)". It also has Touch ID and is still selling new. "If the transaction price of the iPhone SE (2nd generation) falls a little more, it will become a popular model," he said.

　Depending on the corona situation, it seems likely that iPhones with Touch ID will still dominate the used industry.