These Xiaomi phones will be worthless in 2026

The pace of evolution of the second-hand smartphone market is rapidly gathering pace, and software longevity is becoming the defining factor of value and by 2026, smart consumers will seek handsets capable of supporting the current Xiaomi ‘HyperOS’ and keeping up with security updates, while legacy models will be consigned to the scrap heap of obsolescence. For those who currently own these handsets, the opportunity to sell certain popular models while they still have some value is rapidly running out, and models reaching “‘End of Life’” status will become much less desirable and hard to sell, even when brand new and still under warranty.

Why Second-Hand Value Will Crash

In the old days, a clean screen and a decent battery life were sufficient to sell a second-hand smartphone. Nowadays, in the year 2026, the reality is not the same. Conducting the ‘End of Support’ check is the job of the smart buyer, who checks the ‘End of Support’ before buying it. An out-of-date device, lacking security fixes, is called a “dead investment” as it cannot support banking or office software.

If a phone such as Xiaomi 12 or Redmi Note 12 no longer gets software updates, this will cause the phone’s value to significantly go down. It will not get to enjoy the AI capabilities that come with the HyperOS 3, as it will be tied to older versions of Android due to this lack of updates.

Hard-to-Sell Models List (2026 Forecast)

You may find it difficult to sell your device if you purchase one of these, given that they will be out of the support cycle by 2026. The demand for this particular device is forecast to dramatically fall.

Xiaomi 12 & 12 Pro: Although these devices come with flagship hardware such as Snapdragon chips, the software update cycle expires in early 2026. Connoisseurs interested in flagship offerings will consider the 14 series from Xiaomi.
Redmi Note 12 Series: Such a huge number of units were sold, and that means the second-hand market is going to be saturated with such units at the moment when the support ends. There won’t be many takers for an unsupported device on the market.
POCO F5: It is a favorite gaming smartphone; however, once May 2026 is reached, serious gamers will avoid using it to avoid security threats to their accounts.

Maximizing Your Device’s Lifespan

In case you wish to continue using these gadgets or want to make them as tempting as possible to a prospective buyer, despite not having system upgrades, it is highly recommended that the main system apps be upgraded. To get the device to run smoothly, the system apps can be upgraded through our MemeOS Enhancer app.

The application can be downloaded from the Play Store, and it provides functionalities such as hidden features, upgrading system apps, and setting the screen refresh rate, but this may make the older phone slightly more attractive. Get the application Meme OS Enhancer Play Store.