Last updated: March 19th, 2026 at 12:09 UTC+01:00
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People are keeping their old phones for longer.
Reading time: 2 minutes
Abhijeet Mishra / SamMobile
The Galaxy S22 series did very well for Samsung, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra in particular was a hit flagship phone. As people tend to hold on to their phones for longer now, it's unsurprising that many are just now trading in their units to upgrade.
A new report shows that the Galaxy S22 Ultra has remained the top Android phone for trade-ins in the United States. It has held this spot for six consecutive quarters.
Assurant finds that mobile trade-in programs have returned over $6.4 billion to consumers in 2025, a 42% jump over 2024. $2.8 billion of that came in Q4 2025 alone as people turned in their old phones and upgraded towards the end and in the beginning of the new year.
Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 13 was the top traded device overall, as iPhones continue to enjoy a clear lead in the US. Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra was the top Android device for the sixth straight quarter. Its data also shows that the average Android phone age for devices being traded in is now 3.96 years, highlighting that people aren't upgrading as quickly as they used to.
This trend further incentivizes manufacturers like Samsung to offer enhanced trade-in values so they can get customers to upgrade. Even though the device is four years old now, Samsung is offering $160 for the Galaxy S22 if you trade it in for a Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Adnan Farooqui is a long-term writer at SamMobile. Based in Pakistan, his interests include technology, finance, Swiss watches and Formula 1. His tendency to write long posts betrays his inclination to being a man of few words.
