A report from Thursday indicates Apple will soon offer a new trade-in program to allow iPhones with damaged screens, cameras, or buttons to be traded in for credit on a new iPhone. Plus, they’ll now officially allow retail store employees to install screen protectors on iPhones for customers.
The Apple Store Reuse and Recycle iPhone trade-in program currently allows a customer to bring in an older iPhone model and trade it in for credit toward the purchase of a new iPhone model. The main exception since the launch of the program is that this does not apply toward older iPhones with cracked displays, or broken cameras and buttons. That’s about to change …
Due to start this week, the new program will allow Apple Stores to give customers credit for iPhone 5s and iPhone 6/6 Plus units with damaged displays, cameras, and buttons “within reason.” Apple hopes this will encourage customers to upgrade to a new iPhone instead of repairing their old one.
9to5Mac notes that in some cases, with the combination of subsidies, financing plans, and a credit for a broken device, buying a new iPhone could make more economic sense than having the old iPhone repaired. The reports says the current trade-in values for this program are: $50 for a 5s, $200 for a 6, and $250 for a 6 Plus.
If a customer does purchase a new iPhone, they can also take advantage of Apple’s new official screen protector installation on iPhones. The new program is said to be rolling out to select stores this week.
Apple has partnered with Belkin to bring a dedicated screen protector installation machine to the back of the stores. Store employees were previously told not to install screen protectors due to the possibility of a less than satisfactory installation experience for the customer. Under the new program, if an installation via the new machine doesn’t work, Apple will offer a free screen protector replacement and re-attempt the installation.
