In an effort to boost iPhone unit sales, Apple is planning to roll out a new trade-in iPhone program later this month, according to a new report from Peter Burrows at Bloomberg.
Details on the new iPhone trade-in program are scant right now, but according to the report Apple is teaming up with Brightstar Corp. to run the exchange program. The new trade-in program will only be available at Apple retail stores, and should serve as a big incentive to get customers to upgrade their iPhone 4 and 4s units to an iPhone 5.
Apple has created a recycling program for iPods, iPhones, iPads and Macs, where users can send Apple an old device to be properly recycled but its focus isn’t on trade-ins, even though customers get an Apple gift card if their recycled device has any monetary value. The Reuse and Recycling program is also ran by a third-party called PowerOn.
The growth of iPhone trade-in programs has increased rapidly over the last few years as companies like Gazelle, Gylde, USell and more have offered consumers an easier way to pay for the newest iPhone by trading in older iPhone models for as much as $200-$285. Apple has largely ignored the market, even though the Reuse and Recycle program gives iPhone users more money for their old devices than many competing services.
Source: Bloomberg
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
