14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is preparing to launch another aggressive attempt to dab at the competition by introducing a trade-in program aimed to boost iPhone sales in its brick-and-mortar stores.
So, if you have been rocking an Android or BlackBerry handset so far, but you’re bored of it and want to see what the iOS ecosystem can bring into your life, you’ll certainly be glad to find out about Apple’s new plan.
Apple setting up a new trade-in plan
Owners of such smartphones are invited to make a trip to their local Apple Store, to have an Apple Retail Store employee look at their handset and determine trade-in values for the device by taking into account their cosmetic and functional state.
In return for their phone, Android and BlackBerry switchers will be awarded gift cards that are to be used to purchase a new iPhone model, as reported by 9to5Mac.
If the transition is successful, Apple employees will transfer over the customer’s contact list to the new iPhone. However, the task of transferring other data and information is up to the customer.
The program is not available just yet, as Apple needs to train the staff inside the Apple Stores before it can kick-start the whole initiative.
Apple’s iPhone Reuse and Recycle trade-in program was officially introduced back in mid-2013 in conjunction with Brightstar and was designed to let users upgrade from older iPhone models to the iPhone 5 and then the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.
Further on, another version of the program was launched last summer for iPad owners who wanted to upgrade to the latest version of Apple’s tablet.
The program proved highly successful and Apple soon expanded it outside the confines of the United States to territories like Canada, Europe and Australia. Such boost sale events have helped the Cupertino tech giant achieve impressive sales which led to record-breaking quarters.
Apple has been targeting Android switchers for quite some time now
Apple has been making efforts to lure Android users to the iOS ecosystem. You might remember that a while back the company came up with a detailed guide which basically walked Android owners through the process of moving their data from an Android device to an iPhone.
Tim Cook also mentioned, following the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, that the company’s phones registered the largest Android switcher rate in the last three years.