The company will popularise its trade-in or phone exchange program in India by making it a part of brand campaigns and highlighting prominently on its India website.
The program was introduced along with the Apple online store launch in September 2020 in India. The program is also available through Apple’s retail stores in Delhi and Mumbai and its authorised partners.
Currently, Apple is offering up to Rs 67,800 in trade-in value for the iPhone 14 Pro Max and up to Rs 64,500 for the iPhone 14 Pro in India. Both smartphones are now discontinued.
Similarly, Apple is offering over Rs 40,000 in trade-in value on iPhone 14 and 14 Plus smartphones through the trade-in program.“Apple’s trade-in program has been quite popular in markets like USA and EU. We expect trade-ins to be even more popular in India due to the young aspirational buyers looking to buy iPhones while looking at all possible ways to reduce the upfront value of the iPhones. ” Tarun Pathak, associate director at Counterpoint Research, said this will further increase Apple’s share in the secondary market.“It is a win-win for Apple as, on one side, it gets users to upgrade with trade-in, and on the other side, it acquires new users with the same trade-in devices,” Pathak added.With the launch of the iPhone 15 series, which includes four iPhones, namely iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple will have the most extensive portfolio going into the festive season. The portfolio now includes the iPhone 15 series, iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, iPhone 13 and iPhone SE.
Pathak said that the reduced price of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will further drive sales of these smartphones. “Last year’s iPhone 14 will likely capture more than 50% of the sales in India this year.”
Apple has reduced the price of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus just after the launch of their successors. “While the official reduction is for Rs 10,000, channels are discounting to even Rs 13,000-Rs 14,000,” Pathak said.
Apple is expected to sell over 9 million iPhones in India from over 6.5 million last year, with the highest-ever market share of 5%, per Counterpoint Research estimates.
Apple makes iPhone SE, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 15 in India through its partners like Foxconn, Pegatron and Wistron. It will also begin assembly of the iPhone 15 Plus in the next quarter.
Apple also offers a recycling service through this trade-in program, helping customers discard their older devices safely.
“Apple Trade In lets customers recycle any Apple device (including devices from Apple-owned brands) at an Apple Store locations and on apple.com for free. That includes your batteries and electronic products and packaging recycling for our commercial, educational and institutional customers. When we receive your device, it will be thoroughly inspected and assessed for reuse or recycling. Whether recycled or reused, all activities relating to the processing of your device will be managed in an environmentally responsible way,” as per information available on Apple’s India website.
(The reporter is in Cupertino at the invitation of Apple)
