Apple expands iPhone XS and XR trade-in program countries around the world

Posted:
in iPhone edited December 2018
Amid worries of an iPhone sales slowdown, Apple on Friday took steps to goose demand by expanding a promotional upgrade program for its latest iPhone XS and XR handsets to major markets around the world.

iPhone Trade-In
Apple's iPhone trade-in program page as seen in China.


The promotion, which has been heavily advertised in the U.S. since its launch in November, presents prospective buyers with a higher iPhone trade-in value to put toward the purchase of a new iPhone XS and XR.

In the U.S., customers can receive up to $450 when trading in an iPhone X, $350 for an iPhone 8 Plus or $300 for an iPhone 8 or iPhone 7 Plus. The higher than normal trade-in value is subsequently applied to the purchase of a new iPhone XS Max, XS or XR, effectively lowering upgrade pricing for existing iPhone owners.

According to regional Apple websites, similar offers are now available in Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Taiwan. Beyond North America and Asia, a clutch of European countries -- Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, the UK -- are also included in the promotion.

As of Friday, the trade-in program is not yet available in Latin America, Africa or India, the latter of which is widely viewed as a key growth market for Apple.

Like product prices, trade-in values fluctuate from country to country, though users in each region should expect a substantial savings on their purchase. The program's end date also varies by region, with countries like China and Japan seeing a cutoff of January 31, 2019, while others have yet to be specified.

Depending on the country, users are able to process the trade-in online via Apple's website. Those areas without online trade-in systems, like China, require customers bring their current iPhone in to an Apple Store for an on-the-spot assessment.

The limited time promotion augments Apple's GiveBack program which normally offers prices on the low end of the trade-in spectrum. Typically, customers can find better deals through third-party firms.

Today's program expansion arrives amidst concerns of slumping iPhone sales. A number of analysts and investment firms tracking Apple's smartphone performance have cut expectations as the company battles global economic headwinds, smartphone saturation, the U.S. and China trade war and other issues. Most recently, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this month slashed forecasts for the iPhone XR, a mid-tier handset many expected to account for a bulk of Apple's 2019 sales.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 71
    Apple needs the trade-ins to meet the demand for refurbs.
    tmay
  • Reply 2 of 71
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    Amid worries of an iPhone sales slowdown, Apple on Friday took steps to goose demand by expanding a promotional upgrade program for its latest iPhone XS and XR handsets to major markets around the world.
    Didn’t rogifan_new get skewered last week for suggesting there might be a sales slowdown? How this kind of promotion is not normal?

    BTW, no promotion here in NZ. Apple must think that we have no issue paying $1400 for a base model XR.
    williamlondonThrashman
  • Reply 3 of 71
    lennlenn Posts: 36member
    The only way Apple will ever lower the price of it's iPhones is if people stop buying them. But Apple knows there's millions of suckers that need the latest and greatest and will fork down $1k or more for a new iPhone every year.  
    Btw, I'm still using a BB9900. I'm not paying $800 or more for a damn phone!
    williamlondonphilboogiepscooter63
  • Reply 4 of 71
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    Major discounting (which is what this amounts to) three days before Christmas has just one reading in my book: Lower than expected sales. The offer (in this case Spain) is totally in your face, front page, prices in black and white, marketing. Never seen this before.

    I was pushed out of an upgrade due to pricing. With this promotion, I am back in. I will take a decision later today after discussing with my wife.


    edited December 2018 muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 5 of 71
    Apples greed has put them in this position, was it worth 50 billion $ in lower valuation? How much has their greed cost in trust? The stockholders can’t be happy with this strategy. 

    williamlondonelijahgpscooter63
  • Reply 6 of 71
    propod said:
    Apples greed has put them in this position, was it worth 50 billion $ in lower valuation? How much has their greed cost in trust? The stockholders can’t be happy with this strategy. 

    I think it’s less “greed” than user need.  Apple’s iPhone has always had high margins, but each new version has improvements that spoke to users.

    Unfortunately, the people that needed the “latest & greatest” upgraded with the iPhone X.  The newer versions have little advantages to the X.  All those people with a 7 or 8 have look at the XR/XS and seen little need to upgrade.  The camera was already great, and the performance is sufficient to run 99.95% of all Apps in the Apple Store.

    What are Apple’s new features? AR does nothing for people, and there are few Apps that take advantage of it.  The camera? Still great...  What else is there?  Face ID isn’t a significant improvement over Touch ID.

    There’s no advantage to buying a $1000 phone at this point.  I think XR is more compelling, especially if Apple runs a buy one get one free promotion, but they just did that with the 8.  Do people with an 8 “need” a XR? I don’t think so...

    I don’t trust the news to accurately predict Apple’s sales, but I can see that they might have a case (this time).  I do think the new iPad has some compelling features, and has the potential to expand its user base, but they need to improve file management to really “hit it out of the park”.

    Apple is pushing AR & AI but they’re bleeding edge (at this point).  Maybe in a few years they’ll be compelling.
  • Reply 7 of 71
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    Well, it seems the promotion was rushed.

    According to Apple's new discounted pricing table, handing over an iPhone 6 will enable you to pick up an XR for 729€.

    However, after clicking through and filling in the evaluation form, it returns a hand in value of 0€ (all questions answered positively).

    Clearly, some buttons have been pushed at Apple to apply the new options.
    edited December 2018 elijahg
  • Reply 8 of 71
    lenn said:
    The only way Apple will ever lower the price of it's iPhones is if people stop buying them. But Apple knows there's millions of suckers that need the latest and greatest and will fork down $1k or more for a new iPhone every year.  
    Btw, I'm still using a BB9900. I'm not paying $800 or more for a damn phone!
    "millions of suckers" pale in comparison to the juveniles and trolls who roam the internets so they can declare themselves superior by denigrating others for their purchases.

    As for your BB9900 - who the fuck cares?!
    StrangeDaysroundaboutnowgilly33watto_cobrapentaeSpamSandwichpscooter63
  • Reply 9 of 71
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    avon b7 said:
    Major discounting (which is what this amounts to) three days before Christmas has just one reading in my book: Lower than expected sales. The offer (in this case Spain) is totally in your face, front page, prices in black and white, marketing. Never seen this before.

    I was pushed out of an upgrade due to pricing. With this promotion, I am back in. I will take a decision later today after discussing with my wife.


    I think that this is going to be a bad year for Apple.   This could be because
    1.    We hit Peak Apple with the iPhoneX this year similar to how they were talking about Peak Mobile Phone last year.
    2.    We are in a cyclical pattern similar to the the 6S that sold less than the iPhone6 after lots of people went to the bigger phone the year before.
    3.    The iPhone is just over priced to lots of people.    Apple isn't using QualComm Modems anymore which we always heard added greatly to the price.
           They didn't lower the price of the Xr, Xs, or X to reflect this.   
    4.    Apple should have produced either a new 4.7 inch or SE model for those who like smaller phones.   
    5.    Mid and high end Android phones are getting better and now people don't switch from Android to iOS anymore at the levels/rate they used to.
           Many people may find google services like MAPS and GOOGLE ASSISTANT much better.
    6.    A Combination of the above.

    I was surprised to see HomePods for $100 off this Christmas in several Sales.    I might have bought two of those last year if they had premiered at that price but decided to go with Sonos instead.    Also this year you could get the $329 iPad for $229.   Big discounts I've never seen before.  Now we will see big discounts on new MBP too.

    Its will certainly be interesting to see how Apple ends up doing in the next quarterly financials.   They may meet guidance due to the number of sales bringing people in.
    Since they plan to withhold the details behind the numbers no one really knows.

    The Jan-Mar quarter si usually a big quarter for Apple because of the Asian New Year.   Will be interesting to see what happens then.

    Unfortunately I think that the iPhone needs to have a new feature or function that Android doesn't have similar to FaceID but offered without raising the price through the roof.
    Apple also needs to invest in Basic R&D to develop the future Technologies themselves instead of paying inflated prices to Samsung and other companies.     Where are the microLED screen?   Where are their own developed modems?   Where are their solid State batteries.
    elijahgLatkosteveau
  • Reply 10 of 71
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    After waiting a while and filling out the form again, it offered a 50€ discount. Still far off the promotional offer.

    I called the number to the Online Apple Store (after all, the promotion originates from the front page of Apple's web). 

    They confirmed the following:

    They have no pricing details of the promotion beyond what is announced on the page. They were unable to clear up my doubts.

    The promotion itself is limited to physical Apple Retail Stores.

    They admit that the online promotional page points to the Brightstar system which is NOT part of the new promotion. This means that if you click through from the Apple home page from the offer, you will NOT get the new discount pricing. This is a terrible situation.

    I had to call a physical retail store to get the real info. They have confirmed that I can giveback an iPhone 6 64GB in exchange for an XR 64GB for 729€.

    I am about to start a 120KM round trip to see if this info is true.

    Being a Saturday afternoon right before Christmas, I expect to wait a long while.


    tokyojimuelijahg
  • Reply 11 of 71
    avon b7 said:
    Major discounting (which is what this amounts to) three days before Christmas has just one reading in my book: Lower than expected sales. The offer (in this case Spain) is totally in your face, front page, prices in black and white, marketing. Never seen this before.

    I was pushed out of an upgrade due to pricing. With this promotion, I am back in. I will take a decision later today after discussing with my wife.


    Right what you see on the front page of apple.com has not been seen before. Apple clearly wants people to see a different price next to XS and XR. Apple may still have a record quarter but that will be due to promotions like this. 
  • Reply 12 of 71
    bellsbells Posts: 140member
    k2kw said:
    avon b7 said:
    Major discounting (which is what this amounts to) three days before Christmas has just one reading in my book: Lower than expected sales. The offer (in this case Spain) is totally in your face, front page, prices in black and white, marketing. Never seen this before.

    I was pushed out of an upgrade due to pricing. With this promotion, I am back in. I will take a decision later today after discussing with my wife.


    I think that this is going to be a bad year for Apple.   This could be because
    1.    We hit Peak Apple with the iPhoneX this year similar to how they were talking about Peak Mobile Phone last year.
    2.    We are in a cyclical pattern similar to the the 6S that sold less than the iPhone6 after lots of people went to the bigger phone the year before.
    3.    The iPhone is just over priced to lots of people.    Apple isn't using QualComm Modems anymore which we always heard added greatly to the price.
           They didn't lower the price of the Xr, Xs, or X to reflect this.   
    4.    Apple should have produced either a new 4.7 inch or SE model for those who like smaller phones.   
    5.    Mid and high end Android phones are getting better and now people don't switch from Android to iOS anymore at the levels/rate they used to.
           Many people may find google services like MAPS and GOOGLE ASSISTANT much better.
    6.    A Combination of the above.

    I was surprised to see HomePods for $100 off this Christmas in several Sales.    I might have bought two of those last year if they had premiered at that price but decided to go with Sonos instead.    Also this year you could get the $329 iPad for $229.   Big discounts I've never seen before.  Now we will see big discounts on new MBP too.

    Its will certainly be interesting to see how Apple ends up doing in the next quarterly financials.   They may meet guidance due to the number of sales bringing people in.
    Since they plan to withhold the details behind the numbers no one really knows.

    The Jan-Mar quarter si usually a big quarter for Apple because of the Asian New Year.   Will be interesting to see what happens then.

    Unfortunately I think that the iPhone needs to have a new feature or function that Android doesn't have similar to FaceID but offered without raising the price through the roof.
    Apple also needs to invest in Basic R&D to develop the future Technologies themselves instead of paying inflated prices to Samsung and other companies.     Where are the microLED screen?   Where are their own developed modems?   Where are their solid State batteries.
    Slow down in sales is all speculation based on faulty so called newstories. Apple has historically released big performance gains one year and a major new feature the next. Face ID was introduced last season, signicant performace enhancements this year. This schedule hasn’t historically effected sales. Last year the iPhone X at higher margins stole much more sales than anticipated from iPhone 8’s. If true this year that isn’t a problem. Apples stragetic this year was similar to when it introduced the iPhone Cs along side higher end phones. The difference is the XRs are much better low end phones in comaparison.

    The only reason the slowing sales stories are sticking this time is Apple announce it is going to stop the practice of announcing sales volume to conform with its competitors. So people shorting the stock have everything to gain by the stock price sinking. The irony is Apple met its own guidance last quarter for sales and beat the numbers from the same quarter last year (although not by much).  


    Regular consumers don’t know crap about Qualcomm and don’t see any noticeable differences in performance either. I doubt it appreciably effects any buying decisions. It certainly didn’t mine. The XS Max is great phone. Not noticing any reception issues, which are certainly better than the iPhone 7 it replaced. We also don’t know if Apple pays Intel significantly less for its modem then Qualcomm. 

    If Apple sales were hurting, you’d think there would be significantly improved deals from carriers to push inventory. Yet carrier deals are about the same as last year. A few carriers you can get an XR for free or low cost with a multi year commitment. This is similar to last year. iPhone 8 you could get free and x for a reduced cost. So price shouldn’t be an issue for somebody who really wants a new iphone. 

    As far as killing the smaller phone, you’d think Apple would have the sales numbers to figure out whether that was the right move before making that move.

    Other things to consider, due to Trumps trade war, and irrational behavior along with the FEDs increased interest rates the stock market is taking a hammering.  People are going to start closing their pocket books as they watch their saving stuck in the markets dwindle which could effect sales. 
    gilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 71
    avon b7 said:
    Major discounting (which is what this amounts to) three days before Christmas has just one reading in my book: Lower than expected sales. The offer (in this case Spain) is totally in your face, front page, prices in black and white, marketing. Never seen this before.
    Apple has had in your face iphone ads on their store home page before. 




    williamlondonelijahgphilboogiewatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 71
    propod said:
    Apples greed has put them in this position, was it worth 50 billion $ in lower valuation? How much has their greed cost in trust? The stockholders can’t be happy with this strategy. 

    Oops, another guy ignorant with how Apple manages. Hint: it doesn’t manage to the stock price. It manages to delighting the customer, period. Read up. 

    “The Dumbest Idea In The World: Maximizing Shareholder Value”

    edited December 2018 ABiteaDaywilliamlondonroundaboutnowelijahggilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 71

    lenn said:
    The only way Apple will ever lower the price of it's iPhones is if people stop buying them. But Apple knows there's millions of suckers that need the latest and greatest and will fork down $1k or more for a new iPhone every year.  
    Btw, I'm still using a BB9900. I'm not paying $800 or more for a damn phone!
    And yet, people do buy them, time and time. Why? Because they offer value, even at a grand for the top-tier offering. Phone, camera, ipod, video camera, GPS nav, computing device, home automation controller, etc etc.. It adds up, and it’s worth it. 

    If you think a smartphone is just a phone, then you’re not an advanced user. You’d be better off with a flip phone to call your wife with or whatever. 
    williamlondonroundaboutnowelijahgphilboogiewatto_cobrapscooter63
  • Reply 16 of 71
    avon b7 said:
    Major discounting (which is what this amounts to) three days before Christmas has just one reading in my book: Lower than expected sales. The offer (in this case Spain) is totally in your face, front page, prices in black and white, marketing. Never seen this before.

    I was pushed out of an upgrade due to pricing. With this promotion, I am back in. I will take a decision later today after discussing with my wife.


    This is not a discount, it's a trade-in program which Apple has had for awhile
    williamlondonphilboogiewatto_cobraSpamSandwichpscooter63
  • Reply 17 of 71
    bells said:
    k2kw said:
    avon b7 said:
    Major discounting (which is what this amounts to) three days before Christmas has just one reading in my book: Lower than expected sales. The offer (in this case Spain) is totally in your face, front page, prices in black and white, marketing. Never seen this before.

    I was pushed out of an upgrade due to pricing. With this promotion, I am back in. I will take a decision later today after discussing with my wife.


    I think that this is going to be a bad year for Apple.   This could be because
    1.    We hit Peak Apple with the iPhoneX this year similar to how they were talking about Peak Mobile Phone last year.
    2.    We are in a cyclical pattern similar to the the 6S that sold less than the iPhone6 after lots of people went to the bigger phone the year before.
    3.    The iPhone is just over priced to lots of people.    Apple isn't using QualComm Modems anymore which we always heard added greatly to the price.
           They didn't lower the price of the Xr, Xs, or X to reflect this.   
    4.    Apple should have produced either a new 4.7 inch or SE model for those who like smaller phones.   
    5.    Mid and high end Android phones are getting better and now people don't switch from Android to iOS anymore at the levels/rate they used to.
           Many people may find google services like MAPS and GOOGLE ASSISTANT much better.
    6.    A Combination of the above.

    I was surprised to see HomePods for $100 off this Christmas in several Sales.    I might have bought two of those last year if they had premiered at that price but decided to go with Sonos instead.    Also this year you could get the $329 iPad for $229.   Big discounts I've never seen before.  Now we will see big discounts on new MBP too.

    Its will certainly be interesting to see how Apple ends up doing in the next quarterly financials.   They may meet guidance due to the number of sales bringing people in.
    Since they plan to withhold the details behind the numbers no one really knows.

    The Jan-Mar quarter si usually a big quarter for Apple because of the Asian New Year.   Will be interesting to see what happens then.

    Unfortunately I think that the iPhone needs to have a new feature or function that Android doesn't have similar to FaceID but offered without raising the price through the roof.
    Apple also needs to invest in Basic R&D to develop the future Technologies themselves instead of paying inflated prices to Samsung and other companies.     Where are the microLED screen?   Where are their own developed modems?   Where are their solid State batteries.
    Slow down in sales is all speculation based on faulty so called newstories. Apple has historically released big performance gains one year and a major new feature the next. Face ID was introduced last season, signicant performace enhancements this year. This schedule hasn’t historically effected sales. Last year the iPhone X at higher margins stole much more sales than anticipated from iPhone 8’s. If true this year that isn’t a problem. Apples stragetic this year was similar to when it introduced the iPhone Cs along side higher end phones. The difference is the XRs are much better low end phones in comaparison.

    The only reason the slowing sales stories are sticking this time is Apple announce it is going to stop the practice of announcing sales volume to conform with its competitors. So people shorting the stock have everything to gain by the stock price sinking. The irony is Apple met its own guidance last quarter for sales and beat the numbers from the same quarter last year (although not by much).  


    Regular consumers don’t know crap about Qualcomm and don’t see any noticeable differences in performance either. I doubt it appreciably effects any buying decisions. It certainly didn’t mine. The XS Max is great phone. Not noticing any reception issues, which are certainly better than the iPhone 7 it replaced. We also don’t know if Apple pays Intel significantly less for its modem then Qualcomm. 

    If Apple sales were hurting, you’d think there would be significantly improved deals from carriers to push inventory. Yet carrier deals are about the same as last year. A few carriers you can get an XR for free or low cost with a multi year commitment. This is similar to last year. iPhone 8 you could get free and x for a reduced cost. So price shouldn’t be an issue for somebody who really wants a new iphone. 

    As far as killing the smaller phone, you’d think Apple would have the sales numbers to figure out whether that was the right move before making that move.

    Other things to consider, due to Trumps trade war, and irrational behavior along with the FEDs increased interest rates the stock market is taking a hammering.  People are going to start closing their pocket books as they watch their saving stuck in the markets dwindle which could effect sales. 

  • Reply 18 of 71
    Great comments. I totally agree. I just upgraded from the X to the XSMax.  Since i am on the Apple upgrade program, my total monthly charge (interest free) is only $4 more per month. I loved the X, and now I love the XS Max, which has the same wonderful performance introduced with the X, especially Face ID, but it is faster and I now get incremetal screen size without the bulk of the previous Max versions.  If anyone out there seriously believes that there is no short selling manipulation going on, sell your stock and hide.  Half of the drop is from highly speculative reports that predict the demise of Apple and the demise of the iPhone, and the other half is for the reasons bells said: trade wars, governemnt shutdowns, etc.  Also folks, follow the Buffet strategy: invest long and invest in the company, not the stock.  This is one great company that everyone loves to hate.  But they have great products, great customer care and are not motivated by commercialization and ads.  Do they get it right all the time? No.  They have faltered quite a bit on setting up a viable subscription service (thanks to Eddie Cue’s ineptness), but are turning that around.  I just wish they would leverage all their cash to compete more effectively with companies that have less cash resources (netflix, spotify, Amazon) and build a comprehensive suscription services that charges one monthly fee for books, movies, TV shows, and Music.  Just do it Apple. you can certainly afford it, even it means a bit of subsidizing. I say that as a shareholder who would prefer more competeiveness in the media area and a bit less stock buybacks. 
    gilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 71
    propod said:
    Apples greed has put them in this position, was it worth 50 billion $ in lower valuation? How much has their greed cost in trust? The stockholders can’t be happy with this strategy. 

    Oops, another guy ignorant with how Apple manages. Hint: it doesn’t manage to the stock price. It manages to delighting the customer, period. Read up. 

    “The Dumbest Idea In The World: Maximizing Shareholder Value”

    Hint: customers don’t like greedy companies.
    williamlondonelijahg
  • Reply 20 of 71

    lenn said:
    The only way Apple will ever lower the price of it's iPhones is if people stop buying them. But Apple knows there's millions of suckers that need the latest and greatest and will fork down $1k or more for a new iPhone every year.  
    Btw, I'm still using a BB9900. I'm not paying $800 or more for a damn phone!
    And yet, people do buy them, time and time. Why? Because they offer value, even at a grand for the top-tier offering. Phone, camera, ipod, video camera, GPS nav, computing device, home automation controller, etc etc.. It adds up, and it’s worth it. 

    If you think a smartphone is just a phone, then you’re not an advanced user. You’d be better off with a flip phone to call your wife with or whatever. 
    Hint: other mobile companies accomplish this as well without being greedy.
    williamlondonelijahgmuthuk_vanalingampscooter63
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