U.S. consumers received $1.34 billion through mobile trade-in and upgrade programs in April–June 2025, up 60% from a year earlier. Assurant called it the strongest second quarter in its tracked history. That record was for the dollar value returned through the programs—not a proven record for the number of phones traded in—and later quarters set higher marks.
What record did Q2 2025 set?
Assurant reported that its tracked U.S. mobile trade-in and upgrade programs returned $1.34 billion to consumers in Q2 2025. That was 8% more than Q1 2025 and 60% more than Q2 2024. Assurant described it as the strongest second quarter on record for the market it tracks. Assurant’s Q2 report presents the figure as value returned, not a count of devices.
The distinction matters: a higher total can reflect more phones entering programs, higher average values, a different mix of devices, or some combination. Assurant’s announcement does not provide a full unit-volume table, average payout per phone, complete sample size, or model-by-model dollar values. Its figures should not be read as a census of private sales, informal transfers, or every independent resale transaction in the United States.
How the record looks in context
Q2 2025 was a strong point in a longer run of reported growth, rather than the latest record. Assurant subsequently reported $1.59 billion for Q3 2025, then $2.2 billion for Q4—the highest single-quarter total it had reported. For all of 2025, U.S. consumers received more than $6.4 billion through mobile trade-in programs. In Q1 2026, the reported value was $1.63 billion, 31% above Q1 2025.
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| Period | Reported value | What Assurant said |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | $1.24 billion | Comparison period for Q2’s sequential increase |
| Q2 2025 | $1.34 billion | Up 8% from Q1 and 60% year over year; strongest second quarter in Assurant’s tracked history |
| Q3 2025 | $1.59 billion | Up 19% from Q2 and 46% year over year |
| Q4 2025 | $2.2 billion | Highest single-quarter total reported by Assurant |
| Full year 2025 | More than $6.4 billion | U.S. consumer value through mobile trade-in programs |
| Q1 2026 | $1.63 billion | Up 31% from Q1 2025 |
These are figures reported by Assurant for its U.S. trade-in and upgrade program data, not a global measure of all used-phone sales. The later results do not change what Q2’s record meant: it was a record second quarter at the time, while Q4 later became the highest individual quarter. Sources: Q1 2025, Q3 2025, full-year 2025 and Q1 2026.
Why did trade-in value rise as phones got older?
The average age of devices returned in Q2 2025 was 3.88 years, compared with 3.7 years in the same period a year earlier, according to Assurant. Consumers were therefore holding onto phones longer before trading them in, even as the total value returned through programs increased. The figures show those trends occurred together; they do not establish that longer ownership caused the increase.
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Longer use can reflect devices that remain useful, repair choices, or consumers waiting for a more compelling upgrade offer. When an owner eventually trades in an older phone, a promotion can make the next purchase feel worthwhile despite the longer wait. Improved durability and software support may also help devices stay in service, but the Q2 figures do not isolate the effect of any one factor.
Promotions may help explain the increase
Assurant said promotions were more prevalent in the first half of 2025 than in the same period a year earlier, and that Q2 has historically been a quieter period for trade-ins and upgrades. More generous offers can lower the effective cost of a new phone and encourage consumers who postponed upgrading to act. Assurant’s Q2 summary points to promotions as part of the context.
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That does not show how much of the $1.34 billion increase came from additional transactions, larger credits, more valuable returned models, or a shift in program participation. A promotional trade-in amount can also be conditional: it may require buying a particular phone, opening a line, keeping an installment plan, or receiving credits over multiple bills. It is not automatically the device’s cash resale value.
Which phones were traded in most often?
Assurant identified the Apple iPhone 13 as the most frequently received device overall for the fourth consecutive quarter. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G was its top Android device for the same fourth consecutive quarter.
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These are frequency rankings, not price rankings. A phone’s individual offer depends on its exact model and storage, condition, battery assessment, carrier compatibility, and the promotion in effect. The ranking does not mean either model had the highest trade-in value.
Did AI cause the trade-in surge?
Assurant suggested that increasingly useful and personalized smartphone AI capabilities could encourage consumers who had taken a “wait and see” approach to upgrade. Its later Q3 commentary also linked trade-in activity with devices offering more personalized AI features. Those remarks are the company’s interpretation of the upgrade environment, not a measured finding that AI caused the Q2 increase.
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The reported figures do not quantify how many consumers traded in a phone because of AI, or compare AI with promotions, device age, or other motivations. It is reasonable to treat AI as one possible sales pitch or upgrade incentive, not as a proven explanation for the record.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the trend could mean for resale and consumers
Trade-in programs can channel used phones into a secondary-device supply chain. Depending on condition and program practices, a returned phone may be inspected, data-wiped, repaired, graded, and resold; it may instead be used for parts or recycled. Assurant has also described the growing presence of 5G devices in the secondary market. A trade-in is therefore not synonymous with recycling, and the environmental effect depends on what happens to each device after collection.
- For carriers and manufacturers: Trade-in credits can help make upgrades more affordable while supporting sales of new devices.
- For buyers of refurbished phones: A larger flow of returned devices may expand potential supply, although the reported dollar total does not establish how many devices were resold or at what prices.
- For sustainability: Reuse can keep a working phone in service, but the outcome depends on refurbishment, resale, parts recovery, or recycling—not merely on the act of trading it in.
How to decide whether to trade in your phone
The Q2 market total does not mean every phone is worth more, or that a trade-in beats a private sale. Compare the full offer and its conditions for your own device before committing.
- Identify the exact phone. Confirm model, storage capacity, carrier status, and whether it is paid off. These details can change eligibility and the quote.
- Compare the payment, not just the headline credit. Check whether the offer is cash, an instant discount, a gift card, or bill credits spread over time. Note any new-line, installment, or plan requirements.
- Read the inspection and return terms. A preliminary estimate may change after the buyer checks condition, battery, or diagnostics. Look for the deadline, shipping method, and process if the final offer is lower.
- Document the phone before sending it. Photograph its condition and record the device details. Keep the receipt or tracking information until the trade-in is accepted and the promised credit appears.
- Protect your data and accounts. Back up what you need, sign out of accounts, remove activation locks or device-tracking features, erase the phone, and remove the SIM or transfer the eSIM as appropriate. Follow the buyer’s specific instructions.
- Compare alternatives. A carrier offer may be convenient and tied to an upgrade; a manufacturer or retailer may offer a simpler transaction; a peer-to-peer sale may bring a higher gross price but requires more work and carries fraud, shipping, and privacy risks. A specialist buyback quote can also change after inspection.
What the Q2 result means now
Q2 2025 was a meaningful milestone in Assurant’s U.S. program data: $1.34 billion returned, with the average traded-in phone nearly four years old. But it was not a record for the number of phones, nor is it the latest record quarter. Later results show the value of trade-in and upgrade programs continued to rise through Q4 2025, while the available figures do not establish a single cause for that growth.
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