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Broken iPhone? Apple will now offer you trade-in credit

Apple could be about to give its iPhone Upgrade Program a shot in the arm by allowing customers to trade in and ultimately upgrade their older broken iPhones.
Written by Liam Tung, Contributing Writer
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The new scheme is reported to allow customers to get credit for their damaged iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 and 6 Plus smartphones at Apple Stores.

Image: Rick Broida/CNET

Apple will start offering up to $250 for damaged iPhones under an impending revamp of its trade-in program.

That's according to 9to5Mac sources who say Apple is about to expand its trade-in scheme to include new iPhones, even when they've got damaged screens, cameras, or buttons.

Until now, Apple's Store Reuse and Recycle program for iPhones has offered customers credit towards a new iPhone model, helping the company sell more phones and keep existing customers. However, it hasn't offered credit for badly-damaged iPhones.

Apple's full terms and conditions are available at its stores, but the current program's online policy says the iPhone "must be in good working condition and able to power on".

The new program is slated for launch this week and will allow customers with damaged iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to take their phones to an Apple Store and get credit.

According to the publication, owners can expect $50 credit for a broken iPhone 5s, $200 for an iPhone 6, and $250 for an iPhone 6 Plus.

It's not clear how badly damaged an iPhone can be to pass Apple's trade-in test at retail outlets. However, 9to5Mac notes the damage must be "within reason".

The program is designed to expand the pool of potential buyers for its newer iPhones, as should Apple's relatively new monthly-instalment iPhone Upgrade Program, which moves its mobile hardware towards a subscription-based model.

Apple hasn't revealed what impact the program has had on US sales yet. The company's CEO Tim Cook noted recently that the program is currently more about the customer experience but expects its impact "will be meaningful" over the longer term as US customers adapt to a different buying pattern.

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