Refurbished Phones Are Growing While New Ones Slide — Counterpoint's H1 2026 Data

Last updated: September 2026

Most market data this year has told a story about new phones getting more expensive. This one tells a different story: about where buyers are going instead. According to Counterpoint Research, India's refurbished smartphone volumes rose 13% year on year in the first half of 2026, at the same time as new smartphone volumes fell by around 11%.

That is not a small divergence, and it is not simply people trading down. The more interesting part of Counterpoint's data is which refurbished phones are selling. The segment is not being propped up by the cheapest handsets — it is moving up the price curve, with buyers using the second-hand market to reach premium devices they would not buy new. Here is what the numbers actually say.

The Headline Figures

• Refurbished volumes: up 13% year on year in January–June 2026.
• New smartphone volumes: down around 11% over the same window.
• Full-year 2026 forecast: around 16% growth for the refurbished segment.
• Brand share, H1 2026: Samsung 30%, Apple 23%, Vivo 10%, all others 37%.

Counterpoint's research director Tarun Pathak framed the growth as a consumer shift driven by rising new-device prices, rather than a temporary blip. That framing matters: it suggests the segment is being reshaped by structural pricing pressure rather than by a single bad quarter.

The Segment Is Moving Upmarket

The clearest signal in Counterpoint's data is in the price bands. Looking at how refurbished sales were distributed across price segments in 2025:

• Below ₹10,000: 8.4% of refurbished sales, down from 10.7% in 2024
• ₹20,000–₹30,000: 26.9%
• ₹30,000–₹45,000: 25.1%
• ₹45,000–₹60,000: 11.2%, up from 7.5% in 2024
• Above ₹60,000: 6.2%, up from 3.4% in 2024

Read that from the bottom up. The cheapest band is shrinking while both premium bands have grown sharply — the above-₹60,000 slice nearly doubled in a year. Refurbished buying in India is increasingly a way to access a flagship, not a way to find the cheapest possible working phone.

Two further data points support the same conclusion. The share of 5G devices in the refurbished mix rose from about 5% in 2022 to 54.6% in 2025 — the supply pool has modernised fast. And average buyback value rose 34% in 2025 to ₹8,573, with buyback volumes up 29%, meaning the phones entering the refurbished channel are themselves worth more than they used to be.

What This Means If You Are Buying

A refurbished flagship is now a mainstream option rather than a compromise, and the economics are straightforward: a two- or three-year-old premium phone typically holds its display quality, build and camera capability far better than a new budget phone at the same price. That is precisely the trade buyers are making.

The honest counterweights are worth stating plainly. Software support is the biggest one — a phone that launched three years ago has already spent much of its update window, and security patches, not features, are what you should check. Our brand-by-brand guide to how many years of Android updates you actually get is the right place to start. Battery health is the second: ask for a battery health figure or a replacement record in writing, because a degraded cell undoes most of the value. And warranty terms vary enormously between sellers, so read what is covered before you pay.

Should You Buy Refurbished Instead of New?

Buy refurbished if what you want is a premium display, a good camera system and solid build quality, and you are comfortable with a shorter remaining software runway. At ₹30,000 you can reach hardware that cost double that new, and the data suggests a lot of Indian buyers have already made that calculation.

Buy new if you plan to keep the phone for four or five years, if you need a full manufacturer warranty, or if you rely on the latest security patches for work. There is also a middle path worth considering: a new mid-range phone with a long update commitment often outlasts a refurbished flagship in usable life, even if it loses on specifications on day one. Our coverage of why new smartphone shipments have been falling gives useful context on the pricing pressure behind all of this.

The Accessory Angle Nobody Mentions

A refurbished phone arrives without the case and screen guard its previous owner used, and often with a back panel that has already lived a life. If you are buying a two- or three-year-old flagship, budget a few hundred rupees for protection on day one — it is the cheapest way to protect resale value on a device that has already proven it holds value well.

Counterpoint names the iPhone 13 as one of the most preferred refurbished models in India, so here are six real Royal Star options that fit the iPhone 13 family, all currently in stock:

Browse the full MagSafe back covers range, our anti yellow back cover collection, or every tempered glass fit we stock.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast is India's refurbished smartphone market growing?

Counterpoint Research reports 13% year-on-year volume growth in the first half of 2026, and expects around 16% growth for the full year. New smartphone volumes fell about 11% over the same first-half period.

Which brands dominate refurbished phone sales in India?

In H1 2026, Samsung held roughly 30% of refurbished volumes and Apple around 23%, with Vivo at 10% and other brands making up the remaining 37%.

Is a refurbished flagship better value than a new mid-range phone?

Often on hardware, rarely on longevity. A refurbished flagship usually wins on display, camera and build, but has less remaining software support. If you keep phones for four years or more, a new mid-ranger with a long update commitment may serve you better.

What should you check before buying a refurbished phone?

Battery health or replacement records, the remaining security-update window for that model, IMEI and warranty terms in writing, and the seller's return policy. Budget separately for a case and screen protector, since these are rarely included.

Final Thoughts

The most useful thing in Counterpoint's H1 2026 data is not the 13% growth figure — it is the shift in price bands underneath it. Indians are not buying refurbished because they cannot afford a phone; they are buying refurbished to afford a better phone. As long as new flagship prices keep climbing, that logic only gets stronger.

Stay tuned to our blog for India market data explained without the jargon, plus daily launch and price coverage from the Royal Star team.