Apple is selling truckloads of old iPhones in India, but why are people picking them over new Androids

India Today

3 days ago

If you try to guess the popularity of various phones in the Indian market by the spec sheets alone, you would assume that the latest Androids would be on top. Android flagships arrive every few months with bigger sensors, faster charging, folding displays, and long feature checklists. Yet, if you look at the sale data in the segments where iPhone is available, people are seemingly picking an iPhone, even if it is an older iPhone. They are ignoring the latest shiny Android, and if the price is similar they are going for the iPhone that was launched in 2023, or 2022, or even 2021.advertisementLook at the data, for example. According to IDC, the iPhone 16 as well as the iPhone 15 were the most shipped smartphone models in the country in the first half of 2025, contributing 4 per cent of overall shipments. The iPhone 16 was launched last year in September. The iPhone 15 was launched around the same time in 2023. And beyond these two, even older models like the iPhone 14 and even the iPhone 13 continue to be in stock across offline and online shops.It is this popularity and availability of older iPhones, which is helping Apple grow its size in India. According to IDC, Apple's total iPhone volumes in India grew 21.5 per cent year-over-year to 5.9 million units in the first half of 2025.
So, what makes an older iPhone more appealing to consumers compared to a week or months-old Android phone, which has superior specs sheet, and more features? If you look at it casually, you might feel that it is nothing but the brand pull, and the brand pull is indeed there. But look closer, and we can start to understand why consumers continue to pick a 2-year-old iPhone over the latest Android. Performance that doesn't fall off a cliffThis is the biggest reason. Apple's Bionic chipsets are a quiet advantage that keeps older iPhones relevant. A 2 to 3-year-old Bionic chip still feels snappy in day-to-day use. Not only are A16 or even A17 faster in benchmarks compared to most of the current mid-range premium Android chipsets, but they also feel snappier in use. The performance consistency shows up in simple things users notice: apps open quickly, cameras launch instantly, and background processes don't bog the phone down. Even as Android vendors deploy monster core counts and high clock speeds, iOS tends to extract steady performance due to its vertical integration of hardware and software. When buyers test a discounted previous-gen iPhone in store, the perceived speed gap versus similarly priced Android phones often isn't there by a very big margin and that is a powerful nudge toward Apple.Long software support and day-one updatesExtended OS and security support is another reason older iPhones keep selling. Apple routinely pushes major iOS updates for five or more years, and those updates roll out on the same day to all eligible models. For a buyer choosing, say, an iPhone that is two generations old, the reassurance of multiple years of updates left in the tank matters more than a faster charging tech they may never fully use. On Android, support windows are improving at the top end, but the promise isn't as universal once you drop into the mid-range premium pricing segment, where many older iPhones now sit after discounts.The ecosystem effect is realadvertisementServices and accessories lock-in gets talked about a lot, but it's more than blue bubbles. Effortless pairing with AirPods, Apple Watch for solid health tracking, AirDrop for instant file transfers, Face ID support for security and continuity features across iPad and Mac make an older iPhone feel like a ticket into a larger experience. This is particularly compelling for first-time iPhone buyers in markets like India who may snag a previous-gen model during festive sales, then add accessories over time. Even if an Android flagship offers a top-end chip under the hood at an affordable price and faster charging support, the day-to-day convenience of the Apple ecosystem is what people likely prefer.Cameras that age gracefullyApple rarely chases headline specs, but the camera processing on iPhones remains consistent year to year. That means an older iPhone still delivers reliable photos and video with natural colours, stable exposure, and trustworthy HDR, exactly what casual photographers want. The lack of gimmicks is a feature here and not a bug. For Reels, Shorts, and WhatsApp stories, usable video with dependable stabilisation matters more than extreme zoom, and iPhones (new and old) continue to be the safe bet for most users. The iPhones, particularly the older ones, do lack a lot of camera hardware, such as multiple lenses, that new Android phones offer. But for most users the missing elements don't matter that much because they get basic, solid photography and videography from the one or two iPhone lenses. advertisementBattery longevity and resale valueLongevity isn't just about updates. iPhones typically hold battery health reasonably well, which is mostly because of the well-polished software and hardware. Add best-in-class resale value to that equation and the effective ownership cost of an older iPhone drops dramatically. Many buyers plan for a 2 or 3-year cycle. The iPhone helps with that. More significantly, the iPhones fetch better value in exchange offers when it is time to upgrade. For example, a user who gets the iPhone 15 this year will get a better exchange value for it compared to the similarly-priced OnePlus or Vivo phone in 2027 when they are looking to buy their next phone. advertisementRetail math favours older iPhonesThe sticker price is only part of the story. For several years now, Apple has been following a policy of reducing the prices of its older iPhone every year when it launches new generation devices. The company has created an ecosystem where there are always some good offers going on with the old iPhones. Banks and retailers often bundle no-cost EMI, cashback, and trade-in bonuses around iPhones. Apple also sweetens the pot with exchange programs and student benefits in select channels. When these offers stack on top of official price drops for previous-gen models after a new launch, the "old" iPhone moves into the same price band as mid-range premium Android phones without feeling mid-range in day-to-day use. For instance, when the iPhone 16 was just 3 months old, it started receiving around Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 discount on online channels.So, the bottom line is specs create buzz but buyers are choosing basics-done-right over the flashy features. And on that count. The older iPhones still offer a polished, cohesive experience at the right price and for most people, that is what likely matters.- Ends