iPhone Trade-in/Upgrade Program?

[Mahler12x]

Does anyone foresee any possibility of Apple instituting a trade-in program so we can upgrade to 3G? Considering they've made it virtually impossible to safely & legitimately sell your used iPhone you would think they'd offer something. Any thoughts?

 

[gloss]

0%

 

[alejovh1]

no way!

 

[MacsAttack]

0%

Think that estimate is a bit high...

 

[Sasha-1]

Absolutely no chance for Apple to do this. But that's why we have ebay.

 

[avaloncourt]

About as much chance of you taking your iPod Classic to the Apple store and trading it in on a new Touch.

Can you take in a Macbook and trade it for a Macbook Air? Um. No.

I don't know why we're seeing this same thread come up over and over. Why do people think they'll be able to trade in a cell phone? Does any other carrier trade phones? This was a non-subsidized phone. You can walk into any Verizon store and pay hundreds of dollars for a cell phone without subsidy too. They charge $500 for a XV6800 with a two year contract. I'm thinking if you took that back and wanted to trade it in for something that came out this month they'd laugh at you.

Considering they've made it virtually impossible to safely & legitimately sell your used iPhone you would think they'd offer something. Any thoughts?

I'm not getting this at all. How did Apple made it unsafe or impossible for you to sell a used iPhone? Was there a mobster named Guido and a threat against your kneecaps involved? Why in the world should they offer you something for it? You can't walk up to a co-worker and say, "Hey, you commented how much you like my phone. Would you like to buy it?" Would there then be gunplay involved? There's another thread on the same page as this one about how much people have ebayed their iPhones for and where the buyer was. Apparently they managed to do it and survive against all odds.

I didn't realize life with an iPhone was so dangerous.

The only issue I see that you're facing should be taken up with AT&T if they subsidize the new phone. That will drive the value of your iPhone very low since the rumored subsidy will put it well below what you paid for your first one and people will be reluctant to buy the older phone at a price near to what a new, subsidized one would cost.

 

[maxxscholten]

About as much chance of you taking your iPod Classic to the Apple store and trading it in on a new Touch.

Can you take in a Macbook and trade it for a Macbook Air? Um. No.

I don't know why we're seeing this same thread come up over and over. Why do people think they'll be able to trade in a cell phone? Does any other carrier trade phones? This was a non-subsidized phone. You can walk into any Verizon store and pay hundreds of dollars for a cell phone without subsidy too. They charge $500 for a XV6800 with a two year contract. I'm thinking if you took that back and wanted to trade it in for something that came out this month they'd laugh at you.



I'm not getting this at all. How did Apple made it unsafe or impossible for you to sell a used iPhone? Was there a mobster named Guido and a threat against your kneecaps involved? Why in the world should they offer you something for it? You can't walk up to a co-worker and say, "Hey, you commented how much you like my phone. Would you like to buy it?" Would there then be gunplay involved? There's another thread on the same page as this one about how much people have ebayed their iPhones for and where the buyer was. Apparently they managed to do it and survive against all odds.

I didn't realize life with an iPhone was so dangerous.

The only issue I see that you're facing should be taken up with AT&T if they subsidize the new phone. That will drive the value of your iPhone very low since the rumored subsidy will put it well below what you paid for your first one and people will be reluctant to buy the older phone at a price near to what a new, subsidized one would cost.

Dude, chill out, he was just asking a question, a simple "no" would have been sufficient.

 

[puckhead193]

apple will have some program more then likely. How many iphones did people did they sell, now imagine all those people pissed off. Not a smart business move. Apple/ATT will have some "program" it prob will costs but will offer something.
At least they should if they know anything about business and making the customers happy.

 

[bazookafx3]

HIGHLY DOUBTED! Its Apples way to create a new product and leave the rest in the dust... just think does apple do this for ipods? macs? anything? you dont 'upgrade' apple products you get new ones once your is too obsolete... its a price to pay for such fun gadgets...

 

[avaloncourt]

Dude, chill out, he was just asking a question, a simple "no" would have been sufficient.

No, I won't 'chill out.' This topic has had its very own topic at least 8 - 10 times in the last week. There's no reason WHY someone should ask the question in the first place. Apple doesn't take trades on anything else they sell. No major cell carrier trades in cell phones. People keep asking this over and over. Apple has more of an incentive than any other manufacturer to make money because they make products that sell for more than any similar device on the market and people buy them at any price. Of course they're not going to take trades on cell phones just like Best Buy won't take your rear projection TV in for a plasma. It's not a car. It's an outdated cell phone.

 

[avaloncourt]

apple will have some program more then likely. How many iphones did people did they sell, now imagine all those people pissed off. Not a smart business move.

Does Motorola, LG, Samsung or RIM take the old phone in on trade every time they come out with a new model... which is usually anually. People keep buying the new models.

Apple/ATT will have some "program" it prob will costs but will offer something. At least they should if they know anything about business and making the customers happy.

AT&T is rumored to have a subsidy coming. That will be the extent of their spiff. That comes at the cost of a 2 year contract just like any other carrier. As for pissing off previous customers, I paid full price for my iPhone and my account information says I will not be eligible for a subsidized phone until mid-2009. That's not doing anything for the existing customer base. We're suckers. We bought the first one at full price.

Apple's business model has made them record earnings despite your opinion that they're doing it wrong. I don't think they're worried.

 

[maxxscholten]

No, I won't 'chill out.' This topic has had its very own topic at least 8 - 10 times in the last week. There's no reason WHY someone should ask the question in the first place.

Again man, slow down and relax, it's a simple question. Just sit down and get the sand out of your vagina. It is a question, and this is a forum, often people ask questions in forums, so I think it's a great idea that he asked the question.

And every topic has had its "own topic" (whatever that means) 8-10 times in the last week, and it will always remain that way. People are constantly asking about "when will the new iPhone come out," "what will the new iPhone have?" It is this way and will always be this way.

You don't need to put down someone for asking a question, you're just ignorant.

 

[avaloncourt]

And every topic has had its "own topic" (whatever that means) 8-10 times in the last week, and it will always remain that way.

Well, if you can't figure out that if there are 8 - 10 topics a week on the very same question without people actually reading of the other ones of the same topic that have been asked dozens of times in a month then I can see why you're defending him. Even searching would be appreciated. Most of the time there are at least a couple of the same question with their very own post on the same page. It'd be just nice if someone would read first and then ask questions later... or at least reply within a two page topic that's already been beat to death. How many new topics have been started in just the last week along which immediately get locked with a reference to another ongoing thread? There are four in the first two pages alone. It's really hard to sift through the repeats of the very same question asked in a half-dozen individual threads. The signal-to-noise ratio is very high, sifting through a whole bunch of garbage to find something that is useful.

ADD apparently rules.

 

[maxxscholten]

Well, if you can't figure out that if there are 8 - 10 topics a week on the very same question without people actually reading of the other ones of the same topic that have been asked dozens of times in a month then I can see why you're defending him. Even searching would be appreciated. Most of the time there are at least a couple of the same question with their very own post on the same page. It'd be just nice if someone would read first and then ask questions later... or at least reply within a two page topic that's already been beat to death. How many new topics have been started in just the last week along which immediately get locked with a reference to another ongoing thread? There are four in the first two pages alone. It's really hard to sift through the repeats of the very same question asked in a half-dozen individual thread. The signal-to-noise ratio is very high.

ADD apparently rules.

Ah yes, "8-10 topics a week on the very same question" is stated a lot more clearly than "this topic has had its very own topic" (rather redundant). And it's not the point that the question has been repeated, like I said questions will always be repeated, so what's the point in flaming someone for it?

Its the idea that you were rude to him for even asking the question. If people didn't post/respond to repeat questions then we might only get a question in this forum about twice a week.

 

[avaloncourt]

I have no problem with people asking legitimate questions IF they actually make an effort to find the answer first. Considering the number of new topics created on this subject alone, he didn't make any effort at all. That's why. I'm more than happy to go out of my way to help people who have made an effort to help themselves and can't find answers. Starting redundant topics is akin to them saying my question is far more important than the twenty others who have asked the very same thing. Pay attention to me. Heck, there have been people who have posted outright saying, "I know there are other threads about this already but I don't feel like reading them. I want to know..."

This topic was more a mixture of lazy with common sense.

 

[DiamondMac]

The question is a legitimate one

Some just feel the need to act as "hardcore" or "Internet cool" as possible (probably since they are behind a computer) and love to drag down a poster as much as possible for questions asked in a nice way.

I have seen a few threads on this subject but no big deal nor any actual concrete answers (with a few other threads discussing the possibility of it while threads like this saying 0% chance). Numerous topics are talked about in many different threads. If you get "mad" at someone starting a topic on something already discussed, you must be pissed off every time you see this forum.

But, that is today's internet world it seems....full of people willing to act harsher and more "tough" on the computer

 

[maxxscholten]

The question is a legitimate one

Some just feel the need to act as "hardcore" or "Internet cool" as possible (probably since they are behind a computer) and love to drag down a poster as much as possible for questions asked in a nice way.

I have seen a few threads on this subject but no big deal nor any actual concrete answers (with a few other threads discussing the possibility of it while threads like this saying 0% chance). Numerous topics are talked about in many different threads. If you get "mad" at someone starting a topic on something already discussed, you must be pissed off every time you see this forum.

But, that is today's internet world it seems....full of people willing to act harsher and more "tough" on the computer

Agreed.

And for the sake of the topic: I personally don't see much of a chance that there will be an iPhone trade-in/upgrade program however I'd love for there to be one!

 

[marksman]

apple will have some program more then likely. How many iphones did people did they sell, now imagine all those people pissed off. Not a smart business move. Apple/ATT will have some "program" it prob will costs but will offer something.
At least they should if they know anything about business and making the customers happy.

I suspect you will be able to do this:

Trade in your old 8 gig iPhone and $499 and get a brand new 16 gig/32 gig iPhone, AND a refurbished/used 8 gig iPhone. (Bonus: 8 gig iPhone will come pre-loaded with all your data)

 

[neven]

There's no chance that Apple will offer this. The key mistake in predicting a business move is to imagine it from the customers' perspective only. From Apple's perspective, they'll probably sell boatloads of new iPhones as soon as they can ship them. There's zero incentive for them to institute a trade-in program.

 

[Michael CM1]

About as much chance of you taking your iPod Classic to the Apple store and trading it in on a new Touch.

Can you take in a Macbook and trade it for a Macbook Air? Um. No.

I don't know why we're seeing this same thread come up over and over. Why do people think they'll be able to trade in a cell phone? Does any other carrier trade phones? This was a non-subsidized phone. You can walk into any Verizon store and pay hundreds of dollars for a cell phone without subsidy too. They charge $500 for a XV6800 with a two year contract. I'm thinking if you took that back and wanted to trade it in for something that came out this month they'd laugh at you.

Amen. This is probably one of the DUMBEST questions that gets asked over and over and over and over and over and over. If there was some sort of precedent, I get it. But no other Apple product has any sort of upgrade plan where you get a discount. If people think they're supposed to get one because they forked out $400-600 on an iPhone, I must ask WHY. You're going to be able to get the new firmware next month. It's not like the first gen phones are going to be bricked.

You own an iPhone, not a license to kill, not the holy grail, not the continuum transfunctioner.

 

[JBaker122586]

apple will have some program more then likely. How many iphones did people did they sell, now imagine all those people pissed off. Not a smart business move. Apple/ATT will have some "program" it prob will costs but will offer something.
At least they should if they know anything about business and making the customers happy.

No no no no no.
It's obviously you who knows very little about business.

 

[pranavss11]

No. I am giving my old phone to my sister anyways. ALL GEARED UP FOR 3G!!!

 

[maxxscholten]

You own an iPhone, not a license to kill, not the holy grail, not the continuum transfunctioner.

Are you suggesting that we can trade-in/upgrade a license to kill or the holy grail, or even the continuum transfunctioner?

You're just as much of a jerk as avaloncourt, why do you have to put down someone for asking a question?

 

[Small White Car]

The question is a legitimate one

No, it wasn't.

I'm not defending the tone of the responses gotten, but I feel we should all be honest about this. It was a goofy question and it got goofy replies. No one should be surprised by that.

 

[DiamondMac]

No, it wasn't.

I'm not defending the tone of the responses gotten, but I feel we should all be honest about this. It was a goofy question and it got goofy replies. No one should be surprised by that.

Judging by the amount of threads and/or posts about this subject, MANY others are asking the same question so I don't think it is goofy whatsoever

I don't expect AT&T to do this and that is completely fine by me but off the top of my head I wondered if any upgrades would be available at all as well when I first read a few threads on it.

If they don't, so be it and we move on. I am as excited as everyone about 3G