If a new report is to be believed Apple’s iPhone trade-in program might soon be expanded to China. It goes without saying that China is a highly lucrative market for the Cupertino company. A trade-in program will certainly help Apple boost iPhone sales in the country. The program will work more or less the same way like it does in the U.S. but there will reportedly be one major difference. Instead of Apple buying devices from customers, it’s going to be Foxconn that’ll purchase the old iPhones.
Anyone who has followed Apple-related news knows that Foxconn is the company’s biggest manufacturing partner based in China. According to the report Foxconn will purchase the iPhones, refurbish them, and then sell the units through its multiple e-commerce websites in China including the one on the Alibaba Taobao store.
Bloomberg reports that Apple’s trade-in program could be launched in China as soon as March 31st. A customer will take their old iPhone to an Apple Store where an employee will assess the value and give them a number. If the customer accepts they will be given store credit which can be put towards a new iPhone.
The old devices will actually be purchased by Foxconn which will refurbish and resell them. At some point down the road Foxconn might also bring its trade-in deals online.
So far Apple has not confirmed if it’s intending to launch an iPhone trade-in program in China. If this is going to happen by March 31st then we’ll surely know soon enough.
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