New iPhone Launches in Vietnam - How Fast Do Prices Drop on Older Models?

Every September, Apple announces a new iPhone. And every September, prices on the previous generation in Vietnam start falling - sometimes dramatically. I tracked the iPhone 15 Pro's price at five major Vietnamese retailers from the day the iPhone 16 was announced in September 2025 through January 2026. The drop was steep, predictable, and very much worth waiting for.

Here's what happened: the iPhone 15 Pro (256GB) was sitting at 28,990,000₫ (approximately ₹99,300) on September 8, 2025 - the day before Apple's iPhone 16 event. By October 15, it was 24,490,000₫ (approximately ₹83,900). By December, it hit 22,990,000₫ (approximately ₹78,700). That's a 6,000,000₫ (₹20,600) decline in three months.

If you've ever wondered how fast old iphone prices drop in Vietnam after a new iphone launch, the answer is: fast. But the pattern has specific phases that matter for timing your purchase.

The Price Drop Timeline: What Actually Happens

Based on tracking iPhone 14 → 15 and iPhone 15 → 16 transitions in Vietnam, here's the typical timeline of how the old model's price behaves after a new iPhone launch:

Phase 1: The Announcement Drop (Day 1-7)

The moment Apple announces the new iPhone (usually early-mid September), prices on the current model start sliding at Vietnamese retailers. This isn't a gradual decline - it's an immediate markdown.

Typical drop: 1,000,000-2,000,000₫ (3-7%)

Retailers don't wait for the new phone to actually be available in Vietnam. The announcement alone triggers repricing. ShopDunk and FPT Shop are usually the first to adjust - sometimes within hours of the keynote.

Phase 2: The Launch Acceleration (Week 2-4)

When the new iPhone actually goes on sale in Vietnam (usually 1-2 weeks after the global launch), old model prices accelerate downward. This is when retailers physically need shelf space and display units for the new model. The old one has to move.

Typical drop: another 1,500,000-3,000,000₫ (5-10%)

By the end of the first month, you're looking at a cumulative decline of 3,000,000-5,000,000₫ from the pre-announcement price.

Phase 3: The Settling Period (Month 2-3)

Prices continue to drift lower but more slowly. By this point, the Vietnamese market has established a new equilibrium for the old model. Random flash sales and promotions can create temporary dips below this floor.

Typical drop: another 500,000-1,500,000₫ (2-5%)

Phase 4: The Tet/11.11 Floor (Month 3-5)

If the iPhone launched in September, then November (11.11 sale) and January/February (Tet) create the absolute floor prices. This is when the iphone price drop vietnam new launch reaches its deepest point.

Total cumulative drop: 4,000,000-7,000,000₫ (15-25%)

Real Data: iPhone 15 Price After iPhone 16 Launch in Vietnam

Let me show you the actual numbers I tracked. This is the iPhone 15 Pro (256GB) at FPT Shop in Ho Chi Minh City:

| Date | Price | Cumulative Drop | % Below Pre-Launch | |------|-------|----------------|-------------------| | Sep 8, 2025 (pre-launch) | 28,990,000₫ (₹99,300) | - | - | | Sep 15 (announcement week) | 27,490,000₫ (₹94,200) | 1,500,000₫ | 5.2% | | Sep 30 (iPhone 16 on sale) | 25,990,000₫ (₹89,000) | 3,000,000₫ | 10.3% | | Oct 15 | 24,490,000₫ (₹83,900) | 4,500,000₫ | 15.5% | | Nov 11 (11.11 sale) | 23,490,000₫ (₹80,500) | 5,500,000₫ | 19.0% | | Dec 15 | 22,990,000₫ (₹78,700) | 6,000,000₫ | 20.7% | | Feb 10, 2026 (Tet) | 21,990,000₫ (₹75,300) | 7,000,000₫ | 24.1% |

That's a 7,000,000₫ (₹24,000) drop over five months. The iPhone 15 Pro went from ₹99,300 to ₹75,300 in Vietnam. For context, the same phone was still listed at ₹1,19,900 on Apple India at that point - yes, the old price, because Apple India doesn't aggressively discount previous-gen models.

The old iphone discount vietnam phenomenon is genuinely one of the best deals in Asian electronics shopping. India barely budges on previous-gen pricing. Vietnam slashes it.

What to Expect: iPhone 16 Price After iPhone 17 Launch

The iPhone 17 is expected to launch in September 2026. Based on the patterns above, here's my forecast for how the iphone 16 price after 17 launch vietnam will behave:

| Timeline | iPhone 16 Pro (256GB) Expected Price | iPhone 16 (128GB) Expected Price | |----------|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------| | August 2026 (pre-launch) | 31,990,000₫ (₹1,09,600) | 24,990,000₫ (₹85,600) | | Sep 2026 (announcement) | 29,990,000₫ (₹1,02,700) | 23,490,000₫ (₹80,500) | | Oct 2026 (new model on sale) | 27,490,000₫ (₹94,200) | 21,990,000₫ (₹75,300) | | Nov 2026 (11.11) | 25,990,000₫ (₹89,000) | 20,490,000₫ (₹70,200) | | Jan 2027 (Tet) | 24,490,000₫ (₹83,900) | 18,990,000₫ (₹65,100) |

An iPhone 16 Pro at 24,490,000₫ (₹83,900) during Tet 2027 - compared to ₹1,44,900 on Apple India today - would represent a savings of over ₹61,000. Even accounting for customs duty, that's extraordinary.

Pro tip: If you want the previous-gen iPhone, the sweet spot for price-to-availability is about 6 weeks after the new launch (late October). By then, prices have dropped significantly but stock is still plentiful. Wait until Tet and you'll get a lower price, but popular colors and storage sizes might be gone.

Why Vietnam Drops Old iPhone Prices Faster Than Other Countries

A few reasons Vietnam is particularly aggressive with post-launch price cuts on older models:

Competition density. Vietnam has at least six major authorized Apple retailers (ShopDunk, FPT Shop, Mobile World, CellphoneS, Didong Viet, and others) plus Shopee and Lazada. That's a lot of stores fighting for the same customer. In India, Apple controls pricing more tightly through fewer channels.

No official Apple Store. Vietnam doesn't have Apple-owned retail stores. This means Apple has less direct control over retail pricing. Authorized resellers set their own prices, and competitive pressure drives them down faster.

Grey market competition. Vietnam has a thriving grey market for iPhones, especially in places like Nhat Tao market in Ho Chi Minh City. Authorized retailers have to keep prices competitive with grey market sellers, who drop prices immediately after a new launch because they're stuck with inventory they bought at the old price.

Cultural upgrade cycle. Vietnamese consumers are heavy iPhone upgraders. When the new model drops, demand for the old model falls sharply - the market is very new-model-oriented, more so than India. Retailers have to cut deep to move old stock.

When Should You Buy the Old Model?

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

Best value per wait time: 4-6 weeks after launch (mid-to-late October) You've captured 60-70% of the total price decline, and stock is still widely available. This is when I'd buy if I were visiting Vietnam specifically for an older iPhone.

Absolute lowest price: Tet (January/February) If you can wait 4-5 months after the new launch, Tet pricing is the floor. But popular configurations do sell out - if you want a specific color or storage size, don't wait this long.

Best overall deal: 11.11 sale (November 11) This is the Goldilocks window. Prices have dropped substantially, stock is still reasonable, and the 11.11 promotions add extra voucher-stackable discounts on top of the already-reduced price. Check our 11.11 Apple discounts guide for store-by-store tips.

Should You Buy the New or Old iPhone in Vietnam?

Real talk: the old model is almost always the better financial decision. Here's the math for the expected iPhone 17 vs 16 situation in October 2026:

| | iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) | iPhone 16 Pro (256GB) | |---|---|---| | Vietnam price (Oct 2026) | ~33,990,000₫ (₹1,16,400) | ~27,490,000₫ (₹94,200) | | India price | ~₹1,49,900 | ~₹1,19,900 | | Savings vs India | ~₹33,500 | ~₹25,700 | | Price difference between models | 6,500,000₫ (₹22,200) | - |

Is the iPhone 17 Pro worth ₹22,200 more than the 16 Pro? Unless the new model has a genuinely game-changing feature you need, probably not. The 16 Pro will still be an excellent phone in October 2026 - only 12 months old, fully supported by Apple for years.

I bought the iPhone 15 Pro in November 2025 specifically because the 16 had launched and the price had dropped. Zero regrets. The camera, chip, and build quality were more than enough. And I saved ₹20,000+ that I spent on food in Ho Chi Minh City. Good trade.

Warning: Be careful buying iPhones from the grey market (Nhat Tao, online Facebook sellers). Prices are lower, but you risk getting a device with a locked activation, a replaced battery, or no warranty. Stick to authorized retailers - ShopDunk, FPT Shop, Mobile World, CellphoneS - for peace of mind. The authorized store price is still far below India.

Track the Drop in Real Time

Want to watch the price decline happen live when the iPhone 17 launches in September 2026? Bookmark our iPhone price comparison tool. We track prices across every major Vietnamese retailer and update daily during launch season. You'll see exactly when each store starts cutting prices and which one hits the lowest point first.

And for the bigger picture of when all Apple products are cheapest throughout the year, check our 2026 Vietnam Apple Sale Calendar. The new iPhone launch window is just one piece of the puzzle - but it's a very profitable piece if you time it right.

The old iPhone in Vietnam after a new launch isn't a consolation prize. It's a smart buy. And the data backs that up.