iPhone 17 Pro Max becomes most traded-in smartphone as people say they 'regret' buying it

The flagship iPhone model is apparently struggling to keep Apple customers engaged.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max, which launched in September, generated a lot of interest upon its announcement, but the response from customers in more recent months has taken an unexpected turn.

Trade-in data from a new report indicates that the most expensive iPhone in the lineup right now has quickly and curiously become the most traded-in smartphone.

According to a new report from SellCell, this iPhone has risen through the ranks to claim the top spot in a not-so-impressive chart (at least at this point in a phone's life cycle).

The iPhone 17 Pro Max sits at the top of the independent trade-in market rankings, accounting for 11.5% of all devices appearing in the top 20. The analysis is based on SellCell’s internal trade-in data and secondary market pricing trends gathered from 40 independent iPhone buyers.

Why are people trading in their iPhone 17 Pro Max (Getty Stock)

This is confusing considering the phone is less than six months old. But, shockingly, the number of iPhone 17 Pro Max models being traded in appears to be growing. The expensive phone’s share of the top 20 trade-in rankings grew from about 5.1% in late November to 11.5% in early February.

The majority of these models now looking for a second home were found to be in ‘good’ condition (86%), suggesting the original owners didn’t have them long enough to amass much wear and tear.

And it should come as no surprise that the iPhone 17 Pro Max is far from cheap. The device boasts a 6.9-inch display, an aluminum unibody design, a 48MP triple-camera system with a 48MP periscope lens, and the powerful A19 Pro chip for enhanced performance. It also features the longest battery life ever for an iPhone, at 37 hours of video playback.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max ranks second, accounting for 7.3% of the top 20 trade-ins. Altogether, the top 20 represents around 47% of all trade-in activity.

Usually, we would expect to see a wide variety of phones in the rankings, dominated by older models due to the natural upgrade cycle.

The flagship iPhone launched in September (Getty Stock)

So why are people parting ways with their iPhone 17 Pro Max so soon? Responses to the phone have been mixed, with some customers expressing regret after buying it.

“I literally posted a couple days ago asking about the best way to sell my 17 Pro,” one iPhone user shared on Reddit. “This makes sense to me. Five months in, I really regret the purchase and would rather have some cash and go back to the 13 Pro, which to me is about imperceptibly different and a better color.”

However, the phone still has some fans. “I’ve been very happy with my 17 Pro Max,” another customer wrote.

Some buyers complained that the phone’s size made handling it feel awkward.

One user wrote: “15 Pro Max was the last size that really felt okay in the hand. The few extra mm they threw on to the 16 and 17 just makes it uncomfortable for extended use. I’m 6’2” with bigger hands too.”

Another critique of the phone reads: “For me it's the size. I have the 17PM and I have large hands. I struggle to reach the corners and I miss being able to one hand my phone. This is the first PM I've had and it will probably be the last.”

Another person complained: “It’s so THICK. With a case it’s like carrying a brick in your pocket.”

With that said, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is still worth a significant amount of money. Average resale values for a model in good condition are around $967.50. In the US, buying the model brand new with base-level storage of 256GB costs $1,199, with prices rising to $1,999 for the 2TB storage model.