Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) often comes with trade-in programs, but only for its own devices. For the first time, the company is reportedly coming with a trade-in program for the Android devices.
Trade-in program for Android, BlackBerry devices
Citing a person familiar with the matter, a report from Bloomberg said that this is the strategy of the iPhone maker to gain larger share of the market at the expense of the devices running on Google’s Android. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) wanted its customers to upgrade to its newest products, therefore, it came with a trade-in program in 2013. Now, the plan has been expanded to include the devices running on other platforms such as Android and BlackBerry, says the report.
The value of the Android phones is not as much as that of the iPhones, but Apple is accepting them for a reason that does make sense, Israel Ganot, a former CEO of an online mobile device trade-in company, Gazella told Bloomberg. According to Ganot, “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.”
More switchers from Android to Apple
The new trade-program of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was first reported by the website 9to5Mac, and as of now there has been no comments on the mater from Apple. However, during the latest earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said that there were maximum number of Android switchers in the last quarter than in any time period in the last three years.
As of now, it is unknown if Brightstar Corp, which handles Apple’s current iPhone trade-in program, will be a partner in the Android trade-in program. Brightstar resells the trade-in devices in overseas markets.
Latest iPhones from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) have been performing exceptionally well, and the trade-in program if true will further push the sales up. Apple released its big screen devices; the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus last year. In the last three months of 2014, the company sold 74.5 million units of the device, and this figure was higher than the last year’s figure by 46%. Owing to the record sales, Apple was able overtake the Android based devices in shipments with 47.7% market share in the US compared to 47.6% for the Android devices, according to Kantar Worldpanel Comtech.
