Apple confirms iPhone trade-in program begins today at retail stores

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple has confirmed long-suspected rumors that it has been developing an iPhone trade-in program to be based out of its retail locations, saying that that program will begin rolling out nationwide today.



Rumors of the program surfaced in June of this year, and CNBC technology correspondent Jon Fortt reported that Apple had confirmed the program's existence, as well as its Friday launch. The program will see Apple Store customers able to trade-in an older model iPhone for store credit toward the purchase of a new model.

Notably, the program appears designed to keep current iPhone owners within the iPhone ecosystem. CNBC confirmed that "customer(s) must leave [the] store with [a] new contract" in order to take part in the program.

Shortly after news of Apple's confirmation broke, The Wall Street Journal reported that the highest value a customer can receive for a trade-in will be $280.

The confirmation aligns with previous claims as to the program's nature. Those claims had customers being given a gift card for the value of their trade-in with the requirement that that gift card be used toward the purchase of a new iPhone model.

Further, the gift card is only usable is the purchaser is eligible for a phone upgrade from their selected carrier. Any leftover value can be used for other retail store purchases.

Apple is launching the trade-in program only about a week and a half before it is expected to unveil the next iteration of its bestselling smartphone. A rumored September 10 media event may well see the introduction of both a high-end and low-end model of the new iPhone, and having a trade-in program up and running would likely help draw current iPhone owners back into Apple's retail stores to grab the newest generation.

Prior reports had the trade-in company being run by Brightstar Corp., the same company that handles trade-ins for AT&T and T-Mobile. Previously, it was expected that Brightstar would resell the units in emerging markets, though some have since disputed such claims.

Apple is not the only firm offering discounts for iPhone trade-ins. Best Buy has its own program going on for Labor Day weekend. That program will see the electronics retailer offering 50 percent off of the on-contract price of an iPhone 5 in exchange for working iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Why are things sometimes crossed thru in AI articles. Is it stuff that turned out not to be accurate or something else?
  • Reply 2 of 44
    "Apple confirms trade-in program [I]as Apple continues to be doomed[/I]."

    There. Fixed that headline for ya :)
  • Reply 3 of 44
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    From the Apple rumor site that "shall not be linked" from 9to5:

    "The new iPhone must be purchased during that same transaction and it must be an activated phone on a contract. Apple and BrightStar will create a trade-in-value for the old iPhone based on screen quality, overall hardware quality, button quality, and based off the device having or not having liquid damage.

    The traded-in iPhone will be packaged in a plastic bag and shipped to BrightStar for recycling in the United States.

    Customers who bring in a damaged iPhone to the Genius Bar may be encouraged to simply trade-up to a new version of the device.

    The iPhone trade-in values will consistently fluctuate based on supply and demand, but we’re currently hearing an average of about a $250-$253 value for a 16GB iPhone 5 in good condition. A GSM 8GB iPhone 4 will be worth between $120 and $140, while the CDMA version will be worth around $80."
  • Reply 4 of 44
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    From the Apple rumor site that "shall not be linked" from 9to5:



    "The new iPhone must be purchased during that same transaction and it must be an activated phone on a contract. Apple and BrightStar will create a trade-in-value for the old iPhone based on screen quality, overall hardware quality, button quality, and based off the device having or not having liquid damage.



    The traded-in iPhone will be packaged in a plastic bag and shipped to BrightStar for recycling in the United States.



    Customers who bring in a damaged iPhone to the Genius Bar may be encouraged to simply trade-up to a new version of the device.



    The iPhone trade-in values will consistently fluctuate based on supply and demand, but we’re currently hearing an average of about a $250-$253 value for a 16GB iPhone 5 in good condition. A GSM 8GB iPhone 4 will be worth between $120 and $140, while the CDMA version will be worth around $80."


     


    This makes the whole thing sound like a complete waste of time.  I don't know why they bother.  


     


    All these restrictions combined with the low prices they offer make it just a way of stealing business from those little phone booths in the malls, which is I guess the point, but still ...


     


    Anyone who actually owns their phone, and anyone who actually wants to get real value for the old phone before they buy a new one is not going to avail themselves of this "opportunity." 

  • Reply 5 of 44

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    Why are things sometimes crossed thru in AI articles. Is it stuff that turned out not to be accurate or something else?


    Even I wonder why they do this?

  • Reply 6 of 44
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    This makes the whole thing sound like a complete waste of time.  I don't know why they bother.  

    All these restrictions combined with the low prices they offer make it just a way of stealing business from those little phone booths in the malls, which is I guess the point, but still ...

    Anyone who actually owns their phone, and anyone who actually wants to get real value for the old phone before they buy a new one is not going to avail themselves of this "opportunity." 

    Some people will use it just for the convenience. If it drives more traffic and possibly business to Apple stores that's not a bad thing.
  • Reply 7 of 44

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    Why are things sometimes crossed thru in AI articles. Is it stuff that turned out not to be accurate or something else?


     


    The reason why is for journalistic integrity. Yes, I know I just said that about AI, but hear me out. If they have to make a change to an article, instead of just changing the text (which is bad), they show the part that they are removing by making the text strike-through and then making the change right there.  That way, you as the reader, know exactly what they have changed in the original article.

  • Reply 8 of 44
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    The reason why is for journalistic integrity. Yes, I know I just said that about AI, but hear me out. If they have to make a change to an article, instead of just changing the text (which is bad), they show the part that they are removing by making the text strike-through and then making the change right there.  That way, you as the reader, know exactly what they have changed in the original article.

    If so then there's a correction that should post quite soon. There's not one yet.
  • Reply 9 of 44
    paul94544paul94544 Posts: 1,027member
    So when the Iphone5S comes out I can trade in my Iphone5 32GB and upgrade for effectively nothing- cool
  • Reply 10 of 44
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Why are things sometimes crossed thru in AI articles. Is it stuff that turned out not to be accurate or something else?

    They inserted the letter "s" in square brackets after "customer" - square brackets are usually things that editors added to a quote to clarify the meaning. The BBCode editor on Huddler translates this as a strike-through. Since there's no closing strike-through, it strikes out the whole of the rest of the article.
  • Reply 11 of 44
    paul94544paul94544 Posts: 1,027member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post

     

    This makes the whole thing sound like a complete waste of time.  I don't know why they bother.  

     

    All these restrictions combined with the low prices they offer make it just a way of stealing business from those little phone booths in the malls, which is I guess the point, but still ...

     

    Anyone who actually owns their phone, and anyone who actually wants to get real value for the old phone before they buy a new one is not going to avail themselves of this "opportunity." 

     

    I'm confused, I have a 6 month old iphone5 with 32G of memory. If I sell it you are saying I can get more then $300 say around $400? Then what? I go and buy a new iPhone5s or iphone6 next year?

    I will pay $299 to get thaat new 32GB phone on another 2 year contract. OR I can simply swap my current iPhone at the Apple store without having to do anything much at all.

    The difference is at most about $50, are you that badly off you can't miss $50 and then have to go to all the trouble of shipping the phone to get the $$$ then go buy another phone , seems like a wash to me! a reasonable trade off to me for the convenience!

  • Reply 12 of 44
    jwdawsojwdawso Posts: 389member
    So how does this work when getting the new "iPhone5S"? Can I go in before "Sept 20" and trade in if I'm having the new one delivered to my door? Will the Apple Store be able to handle the trade in's for people getting the new one on "Sept 20"? (I am assuming the rumored name and date.)

    And, yes, the trade in value is not as much as selling privately, but I like the convenience.
  • Reply 13 of 44
    rcfarcfa Posts: 1,124member
    Good idea on the surface, but while I understand the new phone requirement, I abhorr the new contract requirement; like I'd be dumb enough to give up my legacy contract to get a new, subsidized phone; thank you, I can still do math: I save more money buying an unlocked, contract free phone and keeping my legacy plan instead of being duped into a new contract with much worse terms. Plus I never want to be on the hook for future payments, if you can't pay an iPhone in cash, it means you're not making enough to buy one, we're not talking 5 or 6 digit car/real estate transactions here but an 800 buck phone.
    Trade-in is good, keeps the things out of landfills hopefully, but the contract requirement is heinous...
  • Reply 14 of 44
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Marvin wrote: »
    They inserted the letter "s" in square brackets after "customer" - square brackets are usually things that editors added to a quote to clarify the meaning. The BBCode editor on Huddler translates this as a strike-through. Since there's no closing strike-through, it strikes out the whole of the rest of the article.

    Now that makes perfect sense. Thanks!
  • Reply 15 of 44
    darkvaderdarkvader Posts: 1,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jwdawso View Post



    So how does this work when getting the new "iPhone5S"? Can I go in before "Sept 20" and trade in if I'm having the new one delivered to my door? Will the Apple Store be able to handle the trade in's for people getting the new one on "Sept 20"? (I am assuming the rumored name and date.)



    And, yes, the trade in value is not as much as selling privately, but I like the convenience.




    Please don't do that.


     


    When you "trade in" that phone will be destroyed.  If you sell privately, not only will you get more money, but you'll allow someone who can't afford a new iPhone to get one.

  • Reply 16 of 44
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Marvin wrote: »
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Why are things sometimes crossed thru in AI articles. Is it stuff that turned out not to be accurate or something else?

    They inserted the letter "s" in square brackets after "customer" - square brackets are usually things that editors added to a quote to clarify the meaning. The BBCode editor on Huddler translates this as a strike-through. Since there's no closing strike-through, it strikes out the whole of the rest of the article.

    Excellent explanation. Still, I don't see any strike-through, so I guess the article has been updated in the forum (I never go to the homepage)
  • Reply 17 of 44
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    darkvader wrote: »

    Please don't do that.

    When you "trade in" that phone will be destroyed.  If you sell privately, not only will you get more money, but you'll allow someone who can't afford a new iPhone to get one.

    A BusinessWeek article about phone trade-in's from back in May that refers to Brightstar.
    http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-23/a-booming-market-for-used-iphones
  • Reply 18 of 44
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    philboogie wrote: »
    Excellent explanation. Still, I don't see any strike-through, so I guess the article has been updated in the forum (I never go to the homepage)

    The error was corrected just a bit ago.
  • Reply 19 of 44
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DarkVader View Post




    Please don't do that.


     


    When you "trade in" that phone will be destroyed.  If you sell privately, not only will you get more money, but you'll allow someone who can't afford a new iPhone to get one.



    Exactly.  A fully functional iPhone 5 just goes to the "recycling" plant... which isn't nearly as good as reuse.

  • Reply 20 of 44
    philboogie wrote: »
    Excellent explanation. Still, I don't see any strike-through, so I guess the article has been updated in the forum (I never go to the homepage)

    It was pretty much the entire article.
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