Report: iPhone Trade-in Program to Launch August 30

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

Apple will apparently offer customers gift cards for new a new iPhone in exchange for the old one.

It seems Apple's iPhone trade-in program may launch earlier than originally anticipated. On Tuesday rumors suggested the iPhone upgrade program would launch in September but the latest reports say Apple will launch the program by the end of August.

9to5 Mac reports that the iPhone trade-in program will launch on Friday, August 30, and will be operated by BrightStar. This matches up with rumors from earlier this year that said BrightStar would be working with Apple on a trade-in program. The program will see customers offered gift cards towards new, on-contract and in-store activated iPhones. The value of each gift card will depend on the condition of the iPhone the customer is trading in, with Apple taking into account hardware damage, the condition of the buttons and screen, liquid damage and the whether the phone can be turned on and used normally.

Though yesterday's report said Apple store employees had to complete two hours of training on the program before the end of next week, 9to5 Mac is now saying that employees are being offered overtime to complete the program by the end of this week. The program will launch initially only in the United States (with international markets to follow at a later stage) and will cover the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5. Customers with devices that are deemed to have no value will be able to bring their devices to the Apple store for recycling.

Apple is expected to launch the new iPhone 5S and budget iPhone 5C at an event on September 10. No doubt the company wants to get the trade-in program up and running smoothly before customers rush to buy the new iPhones.

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Jane McEntegart
8 Comments Comment from the forums
  • house70
    We need a couple more articles about this. Next one with the launch day, then the last one with the precise hour. Please.
    Reply
  • WithoutWeakness
    11438140 said:
    We need a couple more articles about this. Next one with the launch day, then the last one with the precise hour. Please.

    I think one per day is too little. I'm really looking forward to the once-per-hour info updates on the new iPhone trade-in program. Tom's is normally a day or ten behind most other tech sites but this could be the event that they get exclusive, detailed coverage on before anyone else.
    Reply
  • leonieharris
    it's old news but a good service from apple
    Reply
  • bustapr
    Is it really necessary to remind us every day about this program?
    Reply
  • leonieharris
    Also, if the 'assumptions circulating online are true, it seems as if the new iPhone 5S won't be a huge leap forward (apart from the camera). In any case, I think I will buy it just to stay on top of the iPhone lifecycle. I spend a lot of my time on gadgets and with shorter product cycles, I've started adding my gadgets on http://www.unioncy.com/ to mange their lifecycles better.
    Reply
  • teddymines
    The reasoning behind this is simple: Apple wants to get as many old iPhones off the streets as possible. The new models have the proprietary "lightning" connector, which is a licensing revenue stream. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if the newer phones have technology that feeds more personal data to them or the NSA.
    Reply
  • house70
    11441887 said:
    Not too bright are you? You can already buy lightening cables on Amazon for $7...I know I have one.

    Don't forget to mention that to the ER doc when you get zapped. LOL
    Reply
  • teddymines
    11441887 said:
    11439958 said:
    The reasoning behind this is simple: Apple wants to get as many old iPhones off the streets as possible. The new models have the proprietary "lightning" connector, which is a licensing revenue stream. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if the newer phones have technology that feeds more personal data to them or the NSA.

    Not too bright are you? You can already buy lightening cables on Amazon for $7...I know I have one.
    Devices that connect through the lightning cable require licensing.
    Reply