Foldables Hold Value Differently: Z Fold7 at £1,200+
The Android That Forgot to Depreciate
Most Android phones lose 40-50% of their value within twelve months. It's one of those uncomfortable truths in the recycling industry that we see play out constantly across our platform. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, though, hasn't read that memo.
Right now, the 1TB Galaxy Z Fold7 is fetching up to £1,200 with recyclers on OnRecycle. The 512GB model isn't far behind at up to £1,070. For context, that's four-figure territory - the kind of resale value you'd normally only see with iPhone 17 Pro Max variants or top-spec MacBook Pros.
So what's actually going on? Is this a foldable premium, a supply quirk, or is something more interesting happening in the refurbished market? Let's get into it.
Why Foldables Don't Depreciate Like Normal Androids
The standard Android depreciation curve is brutal. A Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, for instance, commands strong prices at launch but faces fierce competition from the next flagship cycle within six to nine months. Recyclers adjust their offers accordingly, and values slide.
Foldables operate in a different category entirely. According to IDC, foldable smartphones accounted for just 1.6% of global smartphone shipments in 2024 - a niche that keeps the second-hand supply genuinely tight. When there are fewer units in circulation, recyclers and refurbishers have to compete harder to source stock, which keeps buy prices elevated.
There's also the replacement cost argument. A brand-new Z Fold7 retails at over £1,700. A buyer in the refurbished market who picks one up for £1,100-1,200 still feels like they're getting a meaningful discount, which means demand for quality used units stays strong. That sustained demand is what gives recyclers the confidence to offer four figures in the first place.
The Components Factor: Why These Phones Cost More to Replace
There's a less obvious reason foldables hold value: the engineering inside them is genuinely harder to replicate cheaply. The hinge mechanism on the Z Fold7 uses ultra-thin glass developed by Samsung's own display division - Corning estimates that producing flexible cover glass at scale still costs significantly more per unit than standard Gorilla Glass panels.
The inner foldable display itself is a complex, layered component. When a refurbisher buys a Z Fold7 in good condition, they're acquiring a device that would cost hundreds of pounds to repair if the screen were damaged. A pristine unit is therefore worth considerably more than its slab-phone equivalent, because the risk profile for the refurbisher is very different.
We see this reflected in our data. From the devices sold through our platform, foldables in working condition with no screen damage command a noticeably larger premium over damaged units than standard flagships do. The gap between 'good condition' and 'cracked screen' is wider on a Z Fold7 than on, say, an iPhone 15.
Who's Actually Buying Refurbished Foldables?
Here's something that surprises a lot of people: the refurbished foldable market isn't just bargain hunters. It's also enthusiasts and business buyers who want the form factor but balk at paying full retail for a device they'll use hard.
A solicitor who wants a Z Fold7 for multitasking between documents and calls isn't necessarily going to spend £1,700 new when a grade-A refurbished unit at £1,150 does the same job. That professional buyer segment - people who genuinely use the large inner display as a productivity tool - creates consistent demand that doesn't evaporate the way consumer fashion demand does.
There's also the global angle. UK recyclers often export premium refurbished stock to markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and parts of Europe where the Z Fold7 either launched later or carried a higher retail price. That export demand acts as a floor under domestic UK offer prices. When a recycler in Manchester can ship a unit to Dubai for a good margin, they'll pay more to acquire it here.
When Should Z Fold7 Owners Actually Sell?
This is the practical question that matters most if you're sitting on a Z Fold7 right now. The honest answer is: sooner rather than later, but not in a panic.
Samsung is widely expected to announce the Galaxy Z Fold8 in the second half of 2026. Based on the pattern we've observed with previous Fold generations, values on the current model typically start softening meaningfully around six to eight weeks before a successor is officially confirmed - not at launch, but at announcement. That's when refurbishers start recalibrating their buy prices.
Right now, in March 2026, you're still in the window where recyclers are competing for good stock. The Z Fold7 1TB at up to £1,200 is a real, live offer - not a historical high. But that window won't stay open indefinitely. If the Z Fold8 lands in July or August as rumoured, the time to get a quote on your Samsung is before the announcement cycle starts building momentum, which puts the ideal window somewhere between now and late May.
That said, if your Z Fold7 has screen damage - particularly to the inner display - the calculus changes. Damaged foldables take a steeper hit than damaged slab phones because repair costs are so high. A cracked inner screen on a Z Fold7 can knock £300-400 off the recycler offer. If yours is pristine, the current market rewards you generously for that.
How the Z Fold7 Compares to Other High-Value Devices Right Now
To put the Z Fold7's holding power in context, it helps to look at where it sits in the broader market. Our current top prices show the iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB fetching up to £1,191 - meaning the Z Fold7 1TB at £1,200 is actually trading at a slight premium over Apple's equivalent flagship tier. That's remarkable for an Android device.
The next closest Android in our database is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 512GB at £1,070 - still the same device family. Standard slab Androids, even premium ones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, don't come close to these numbers. This really is a foldable-specific phenomenon.
Compare this to the Google Pixel 9 Pro, which our data shows averaging around £163 across the Pixel range. Even accounting for the different model mix, the gap illustrates how dramatically the foldable premium separates these devices from the rest of the Android market.
The MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Max is the only category beating Z Fold7 values outright, with the top-spec 128GB/8TB variant fetching up to £1,590. But laptops are a different market with different depreciation dynamics. Among phones specifically, the Z Fold7 is genuinely in elite company.
What This Means If You're Thinking About the Z Fold8
Here's an angle worth considering. If you're planning to upgrade to the Z Fold8 when it launches, selling your Z Fold7 now - before announcement-driven depreciation - could net you significantly more than waiting until you have the new device in hand.
The typical upgrade path of 'sell the old one when the new one arrives' is actually the worst time to sell a foldable. By launch day, recyclers have already priced in the depreciation. Selling two to three months early and bridging the gap with a cheap SIM-only deal for a few weeks is a strategy that can realistically save you £150-200 on the net cost of your upgrade.
We'd always recommend comparing prices across multiple recyclers before committing, because offers vary more than people expect - sometimes by £100 or more for the same device and condition. OnRecycle shows you live prices from dozens of buyers instantly, so you can see exactly who's paying most right now without having to ring round.
The Z Fold7 is a rare thing in the Android world: a phone that's genuinely resisting the gravity of depreciation. Use that to your advantage while the window's open.
Published by The OnRecycle Team on 7th March 2026
