Apple cuts the credits in the Reuse and Recycling program by $45 (€32)

Jul 2, 2014 07:44 GMT  ·  By
PowerON's trade-in estimate for a pristine-condition iPhone 5 with 64GB of storage
   PowerON's trade-in estimate for a pristine-condition iPhone 5 with 64GB of storage

Sources in the United States and Canada are reporting that, starting today, Apple is offering less money in exchange for any traded-in iPhone to customers looking to upgrade more affordably. This undoubtedly has to do with the impending iPhone 6 launch just months from now.

At the time Apple introduced the program, the maximum trade-in value for a 64GB iPhone 5 was $270 CAD and $250 USD. In Europe, customers would get around €240 as the maximum amount of credits in exchange for a handset in pristine condition.

As the Cupertino giant prepares for the imminent iPhone 6 launch this fall, the company has slashed the maximum trade-in value for all accepted iPhone models by as much as $45 (€32).

Right now, an iPhone 4 16GB is worth $55 (€40), iPhone 4S 16GB is worth $90 (€65), while iPhone 5 16GB is worth $185 (€135), and that’s only if the phones are in perfect working order and without any visible damage to their outer shell.

The estimate is provided by PowerON, Apple’s partner in crime. They determine the actual value of the Apple Gift Card only after they receive and evaluate the product. In some cases, the reward can be higher than the initial estimate.

Notably, an iPhone 5 with 64GB of storage is worth just $205 (€149) according to PowerON’s quote at the moment. Customers submitting the same device to Gazelle’s price calculator will probably be more enticed to go with the latter’s offers.

Gazelle, a trade-in veteran that takes all kinds of electronics and rewards their owner with actual cash (not an Apple Store Gift card), offers $220 (€160) for a 64GB model that is in “good” condition and $230 (€168) for a unit whose outer shell is “flawless.”

“Turn that iPhone, iPad, or computer — Mac or PC — you’re not using anymore into something brand new,” says the Mac maker. “Send it to us and we’ll determine if it qualifies for reuse.”

“If it does, that means your device has monetary value that we’ll apply to an Apple Store Gift Card, which you can use for purchases at any Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. If your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC doesn’t qualify for reuse, we’ll recycle it responsibly at no cost to you,” Apple notes.

Visit Apple’s Reuse and Recycling site to review the program up close.

Update: A Gazelle representative has reached out to us to say, "we also recycle phones if they cannot be purchased for cash -- but because we make a significant effort to try to extend the lifecycle of every device we receive, we only recycle less than 1% of the devices traded-in due to poor condition."