Apple Launches iPhone Trade-In Program 116
An anonymous reader writes "Today Apple announced the launch of a trade-in program for iPhones. Users will be able to send in their older devices and get credit toward new ones. The announcement precedes an event on Sept. 10th at which Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone model. The trade-in program is being managed by a company named Brightstar, with whom trade-in value maxes out at $336 for a 16GB iPhone 5. The 16GB iPhone 4S, 4, and 3GS max out at $221, $151, and $52, respectively. (The value drops depending on the device's condition, of course.) 'With its new program, Apple steps into a crowded field of competing programs offered by companies such as Gazelle, Best Buy, GameStop, Amazon and others, all of whom accept older iPhones for money. The broader market for used smartphones has been estimated to bring in as much as $5 billion in sales by 2015. With Apple participating as well, more smartphone users may opt for the trade-in option, and could potentially send that estimate even higher. Running its own program would give Apple a way to drive more iPhone sales within its own stores rather than seeing sales from carrier partners, and drive more traffic through its retail stores as well.'"
"up to" (Score:3, Informative)
Well, with their marketshare falling like a rock (Achievement unlocked: Apple Fanboy hate. -5 Karma, +5 reputation) they gotta do something -- Android is now passing 70% [time.com] and continuing to climb while Apple dropped to about 15% [time.com] and has been losing about 1% a month [dailymail.co.uk] on average for the past two quarters (Achievement unlocked: Use of facts on the internet. +2 karma, -1 reputation). Of course, only on slashdot would the phrase "up to" cause people to cream their pants with excitement that the great and noble Apple (Achievement unlocked: Sarcasm! -1 karma, +7 reputation to shop owners in town GenX) was going to give them 'free' upgrades. It'll be just like going to a used car dealer and getting a "great deal" on your trade-in -- they give you x amount of dollars now, knowing that the buy-in (aka your loan APR) will offset it by x plus a percentage, so they can afford to be generous... just keep paying the monthly 'rental' fee (Achivement unlocked: Car analogy! +2 karma, +1 reputation).
Better off if you do. (Score:5, Informative)
"Yes, I'd like to trade mine in for a Galaxy S4."
You could go http://glyde.com/ [glyde.com] http://www.nextworth.com/ [nextworth.com] or http://www.gazelle.com/iphone [gazelle.com] which will offer you *real* money instead of credit and at a higher rate than the $120-200 for 16GB iPhone 4 and 4S models and 16GB iPhone 5 in good condition could go for around $250. The only thing you lose is convenience. Its kind of sad but that tiny bit of convenience is worth a lot.
Re:Apple went from 'Think Different' to 'Think Use (Score:4, Informative)
Eh, the android phone is just as likely to cost $2k in cellular bills. The difference in price over 24 months between an iPhone and an Android phone isn't really that much by percentage when you take the cost of service into account.
And yes, I know you can get a bargain android phone and pair it with a bargain cell w/ data plan.
You can do that with iPhone, too (virgin offers $30/month for their lowest tier plan if you give them access to your bank account....). It does cost more, but the percent more over 24 months...
it's not iPhones that are costing people tons of money for cell service, it's smartphones.