Apple Stores now accepting Android, Windows, and BlackBerry phone trade-ins
Looking to make the move to an iPhone? Apple wants to make the transition really easy for you
Confirming a report that circulated a couple weeks back, Apple has officially launched a programme that sees its retail stores offering store credit in exchange for smartphones from other makers.
The initiative spans all of the top iPhone competitors: Android, Window Phone, and BlackBerry smartphones. And most top brands are in the mix, as TechCrunch reports that Samsung, LG, Sony, Nokia, and HTC are among those making accepted models.
Apple offers store credit for devices that have some level of value – surely based on considerations like age, condition, and demand – that can be used towards the prompt purchase of an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, or iPhone 5C. 9to5Mac says the trade-in credit cannot be applied to an Apple Watch purchase, however, for anyone making plans.
Reportedly, the programme can also accept PC trade-ins towards a new Mac, although details are currently thin on what to expect there. Whether you’re trying to offload a smartphone or PC, the trade-in option has become available in the UK, as well as the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada.
Of course, Apple’s not going to turn around and sell these devices themselves; the trades are officially through a third-party company, which surely then handles the dirty work of getting them ready for resale elsewhere. Rumour was that Apple Store associates would be trained to help buyers transfer their contacts and other data to a new iPhone, but it’s unclear whether that’s actually the case now that trade-ins are available. Hopefully!
[Source: 9to5Mac via TechCrunch]
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
