So you either have that new iPhone or you are seriously considering buying a new one. Whatever you do, do not make the mistake that other iPhone owners do. Before you get rid of your iPhone you should do two things.

  1. Erase your data from the old phone. iPhone (smart phones in general) are minicomputers. Similar to a computer when you “delete” your data using common deleting methods, the data is not truly deleted. In order to erase your information , you will need to over-write your data (iPhone and iPhone 3G) or remove the encryption key that protects your data (iPhone 3GS and later) . According to Apple you can remove all settings and information from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using “Erase All Content and Settings” in Settings > General > Reset. This process can take a few minutes (iPhone 3GS and later) or a few hours (iPhone and iPhone 3G). Also, do not forget to remove the SIM card.
  2. Get the most dollars for your old phone. When you trade-in or sell your phone to a commercial establishment (Usell.com, Gazelle.com), you do not get top dollar. You can easily get less than half of the true current value for your old phone. Consider selling your phone directly to a non-commercial buyer and use my used-electronics value calculator to determine an average selling price.

Now that you know how to protect your private data and have a better idea of the value of your phone, you are ready to sell it. Good luck!