Apple to introduce Android-trade in schemes to further boost iPhone sales
19 Mar 2015
In a move aimed at luring Android users to switch to iPhones, Apple plans to introduce schemes that would further boost the sales of its record-breaking iPhone 6 models.
A report in 9To5Mac says Apple is working on recycling and trade-in programmes for non-Apple smartphones like Android and BlackBerry, in exchange for gift cards that could be used to purchase the new iPhones.
In its bid to attract Android user to shift to the iPhone, it would use the same method it used for repurchase of iPhones wherein Apple Retail employees would look for the trade-in value depending upon the condition of the device to be exchanged.
Apple employees will help customers transfer their contacts from the devices onto an iPhone, but other data would have to be transferred by users.
At the company's earnings call earlier this year, chief Tim Cook spoke about the company's most stellar quarter in which it sold 74.5 million devices and also how the new iPhone 6 models had triggered the highest Android switch over in the last three years.
The record sales saw shipments of devices based on Apple's mobile iOS software surpass Android in the US, according to Kantar Worldpanel Comtech, with 47.7 per cent of the market as against Android's 47.6 per cent.
For its iPhone trade-in programme Apple had selected as its partner partner Brightstar Corp, which resells the devices to overseas customers.
According to the report, the new programme would start in the coming weeks and Apple planned to train its employees later this week.
It was however, not clear, whether the new Android trade-in programme would include Brightstar.
While Android phones do not retain value as well as iPhones, it still made sense for Apple Stores to accept them,says Israel Ganot, former CEO of online mobile device trade-in company, Gazelle Inc.
''Apple can afford to pay more than the market value to get you to switch over, on the idea that you're going to fall in love with the iOS ecosystem and stay for a long time,'' Ganot told Bloomberg in an interview.
He added if Apple Stores started accepting Android-based Samsung smartphones before the company's new high-end Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge went on sale next month, it was going to make a lot of Galaxy S5 ''users think twice'' about upgrading, Ganot said.
Samsung's new devices sre due to debut in 20 countries starting 10 April.
