Apple has reduced the trade-in values for some iPhones, as spotted by MacRumors, meaning you’ll now get less money when trading in affected older devices.
The iPhone 13 Pro line looks to be hit the hardest, with trade-in values going down by $80. Trading in an iPhone 13 Pro Max will now net you up to $570, which is down from $650, while turning in an iPhone 13 Pro will get you up to $470, which is down from $550. (And note that you’ll only get that top trade-in value if Apple decides your device is in good enough condition.) Trade-in values for the iPhone 13 went down by $50 and, for the 13 Mini, by $30.
Trade-in values for some other Apple devices were also adjusted. For Macs, some actually went up — you’ll get more for MacBook laptops and Mac Minis — and remained unchanged for other Macs. You’ll also be able to get $5 more for Apple Watch Series 7, though you’ll get $5 less for an Apple Watch SE or Apple Watch Series 5. iPad trade-in values remain the same.
It’s unclear why Apple decided to change the trade-in values now, and the company didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment. But it’s not out of the ordinary, as the company periodically makes adjustments, including in November, July, and May 2022, as tracked by MacRumors.
That said, Apple’s trade-in values have recently come under some criticism: as discovered by David Imel, a writer and researcher for MKBHD, if you try and trade in a more than $50,000 Mac Pro, you won’t even get enough money to buy an iPhone 14 Pro. Personally, I’m disappointed that my two-year-old iPhone 12 Mini is only worth $250 from Apple; at this point, I think I’ll just keep it going as long as I can, even if replacing the battery is about to get more expensive.
If you’re planning to trade in a device for an upgraded iPhone despite the lower values, you might want to keep your eyes on the refurbished section of Apple’s online store. The company has started selling refurbished iPhone 13 Minis, Pros, and Pro Maxes in some countries in Europe. The iPhone 13 lineup is also listed on the US store, though you can’t buy any of them just yet.
