Apple Expands iPhone and iPad Recycling Program to UK, Germany, and France

[MacRumors]

Last August, Apple expanded its recycling program in the United States to allow customers to turn in their used iPhones and iPads for Apple gift cards.

As noted by Macworld UK and Macerkopf.de [Google translation], Apple has once again expanded its recycling efforts by bringing a similar initiative to the UK, France, and Germany. But rather than offering payment in the form of an Apple gift card, the program in these countries offers users cash deposited into their bank accounts.

With the Reuse and Recycling Programme, you could turn your old equipment into a brand-new Mac, iPod, iPhone or iPad.

Whether it's an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC computer, working or not, we'll take it and determine if it qualifies for reuse and has a monetary value. If it does, the amount will be credited directly into your bank account. If it doesn't, you can recycle it responsibly through one of our free recycling programs.

The program, offered in conjunction with the German arm of electronics recycler Dataserv, builds upon Apple's existing programs for recycling Macs, PCs, batteries, iPods, and mobile phones.

Apple supports recycling efforts in a number of other countries through third-party organizations with details for each region of the globe available from Apple's main recycling program pages.

Article Link: Apple Expands iPhone and iPad Recycling Program to UK, Germany, and France

 

[flynndean]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/9A405)

Certainly this market is already incredibly well served in the UK due to WEEE. There are countless companies offering cash for old phones, including the network operators themselves at contract renewal.

Apple will need to differentiate themselves somehow...

 

[Ants42]

Nice one, Apple

iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.

 

[Phil A.]

I can't see what value Apple is adding to the market in the UK

I've always used mazuma and they offer far higher prices (£215 for a 32GB iPhone 4) and don't care if the devices are scratched as long as they work.

Also they pay hard cash rather than gift vouchers and the money is in your account within hours of receiving the phone: none of this bait and switch nonsense with an "evaluation" of the phone when they receive it - if your phone works you get your cash!

 

[WeegieMac]

My 20" Aluminium iMac from mid 2009?

Cost me £829 ... offering me £147 if I wanted to sell it.

iPhone 4 16GB black? Cost me £500 new almost a year ago to the day (warranty expires in 2 days) ... £177.

I'd rather rub my balls with sandpaper.

 

[TwoBytes]

iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.

Really? Where did you get apple's pricing? this is a joke! Oh dear apple..

 

[Ants42]

Link

Really? Where did you get apple's pricing? this is a joke! Oh dear apple..

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/reuse_and_recycle

Terrible Mac pricing too.

 

[mrboult]

iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.

That's is amusingly poor on Apple's part.

My 20" Aluminium iMac from mid 2009?

Cost me £829 ... offering me £147 if I wanted to sell it.

iPhone 4 16GB black? Cost me £500 new almost a year ago to the day (warranty expires in 2 days) ... £177.

I'd rather rub my balls with sandpaper.

I nearly soiled my self with laughter at that comment.

 

[The Phazer]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/9A405)Apple will need to differentiate themselves somehow...

They are: incredibly bad value.

I have an old 2G 8GB in the cupboard. They go for £40 - 50 on Ebay. The site offered me £7. If I threw in the charging cable, which is actually still useful to me and worth more than that on it's own.

Phazer

 

[Rab C]

iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.

You also have to take into account the usual tricks played by these people. They will offer say £100 online and you send it in and then they offer a lower price based on some random reason, e.g. scratched, etc.

The £52 offered by Apple is more realistic and probably what the others will offer in reality.

Edit: Reviews like these are typical of such recycle companies (this for envirofone):
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews98440.html

 

[swordfish5736]

Most people that take advantage of apples program are not worrying about getting every penny they can but more interested in recycling an old device so it doesn't end up in a land fill.

 

[Phil A.]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Most people that take advantage of apples program are not worrying about getting every penny they can but more interested in recycling an old device so it doesn't end up in a land fill.

Other companies that buy your old phone don't landfill them - they are recycled: This from Mazuma Mobile

Mazuma Mobile aim to reuse over 95% of the mobile phones received in various developing markets where the cost of new mobile phones is sometimes unaffordable.
Where mobile phones are not reusable, we promise to recycle them in the most environmentally friendly way.
We are a Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Authorised Treatment Facility and are ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Accredited.

You also have to take into account the usual tricks played by these people. They will offer say £100 online and you send it in and then they offer a lower price based on some random reason, e.g. scratched, etc.

The £52 offered by Apple is more realistic and probably what the others will offer in reality.

Edit: Reviews like these are typical of such recycle companies (this for envirofone):
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews98440.html

I've never used envirofone, but have recycled loads of old phones through mazuma and have never had so much as a single penny less than the offer made online and they pay cash into your bank within hours of receiving the phone

Whatever way you look at it, the apple option is not a good deal compared to the rest of the market

 

[Macman45]

£182 for a perfect 4? Sorry, but plenty of sites here in the UK are offering substantially more. I re-cycle......to friends!

 

[quasinormal]

Bottom feeders. Its a scam.

Other companies that buy your old phone don't landfill them - they are recycled: This from Mazuma Mobile

Recycled=Sold to third worlders at exorbitant prices no doubt.

Doesn't Apple at least donate the usable stuff to schools etc?

 

[Xenc]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Poor prices. Use eBay or one of the other countless "recycling" websites.

 

[iStudentUK]

You also have to take into account the usual tricks played by these people. They will offer say £100 online and you send it in and then they offer a lower price based on some random reason, e.g. scratched, etc.

The £52 offered by Apple is more realistic and probably what the others will offer in reality.

I've sold quite a few old things online to these recycle sites, phones, iPods, digital cameras etc and never had a reduction made. Apple is offering poor value here, the UK electronic recycling market is already pretty saturated.

 

[LastLine]

Bottom feeders. Its a scam.



Recycled=Sold to third worlders at exorbitant prices no doubt.

Doesn't Apple at least donate the usable stuff to schools etc?

Who cares? Ultimately you're recycling - if a company can make a profit on that and employ people because of it? Fair play to them.

 

[Mouseinhat]

iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.

Well known auction site £200+

Just saying.

 

[terrymcg]

Well known auction site £200+

Just saying.

I know, you wonder why people use these recyclers. There again, maybe people cant be bothered with the scammers on other sites!

 

[garybUK]

I know, you wonder why people use these recyclers. There again, maybe people cant be bothered with the scammers on other sites!

I have used them, why?

1) Auction sites minus insertion fees
2) Risk's involved with sending items to buyers (who's to say the winner isn't a scammer)
3) Ease of use, these recyclers are a LOT less hassle, they send you pre-paid postage and offer insured mail options
4) Can send in batches of multiples, I sent in 4 phones at last upgrade.

Apple's prices are a bit of a con to be honest, i bet they use a lot of these for refurbs.

 

[limesmoothie]

These prices are laughable. I normally recycle my phones via CEX and get a decent price in a store close to my home. Apple don't seem particularly serious about this 'offer'.

 

[Mico8914]

OK, well Apple really offers close to nothing $ for those used phones.. Any online trade-in company would pay 2-3 times that $. I suggest using websites like GS as a price reference when trying to get rid of your older Apple products.