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How to Prepare your iPhone for a Trade-In Program

Thomas Glare
February 20, 2020

Unlike other brands and devices, the iPhone offers the user the ability to enroll for a trade-in program. It enables you easy access to the next-generation iPhone at a pretty low cost. You need not sweat when making your Apple purchase next time. Read to find out more.

It is no wonder seeing iPhones as a completely different brand from the rest in the market. One would think it only has to do with the excessive marketing and advertising that comes with Apple products. Nonetheless, anyone who has had the opportunity of using one fully understands the uniqueness, advantages, and even the inward sense of pride. Anyone using an iPhone would rarely dare to look for any other brand but would seek to climb the iPhone ladder by upgrading to a better model. A story is told of an Indian fashionista who sold her house and decided to rent just to buy herself an iPhone!

An Apple iPhone upgrade program is when one enters into a contract (normally for two years), which enables him/her finance their next iPhone model cheaply. The contract is between you (the iPhone buyer), Apple, and the Citizens Bank (Apple’s loan partner). You are then allowed to make monthly installments and by the 12th installment, you are given the chance to upgrade to the next 

generation iPhone. For instance, at only $10 per month, users of iPhone 5s can upgrade to iPhone SE! It almost feels like a casino no deposit with tantalizing bonuses – you’d be hard-pressed to miss out such a chance!

Is the iPhone Trade-In Program Worth It?

Before we tell you whether you should consider an iPhone upgrade program, you first need to understand how it works. It’ll then be much easier to associate with the benefits involved.

The iPhone contract was only introduced recently as a response to the carrier deals which previously offered buyers numerous subsidies on iPhone purchases. It would be a reduction of up to $400 just for entering the 2-year iPhone finance plan. The move to change to this new plan was quite strategic both financial-wise for Apple as a firm and for its users.

It is because one needs not to be tied down to a single carrier system for the duration of the whole contract. Within the first 12 months, one can opt to switch to a different carrier without incurring additional charges. It not only provides flexibility for the expectant users but also adds more dollars into Apple’s pockets as more iPhone purchases are made as a result.

Where and How Does It Work?

Up to 2018, the Apple iPhone trade-in program was only in the United States. However, it was soon to be embraced in other countries and is now in China as well as Apple trade in UK. It has only gone to up-scale Apple’s sales. Plans are to expand to other regions soon.

Enough said, now we need to take a look at the root of the matter. What procedure is followed to enter a trade-in program? Are you even qualified to opt for this, or will you be turned down and end up emptying your account to upgrade? Can you simply exchange your current iPhone for a better one, and what would that cost you? Read on to find out more.

Essentials You Need to Have

The program will automatically disqualify you should be underage. Only adults 18+ can enter the program since a valid credit card will be necessary. Technically, it’s an interest-free loan contract you are signing with Citizen’s One with Apple as the go-between. A credit check will thus be run to confirm your credit-worthiness. If you have decided to settle the Apple-way, getting yourself an Apple Card warrants you a 3% cashback for all Apple purchases. It also includes the trade-in program.

Next, you can visit Apple’s website and head directly to Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program page to check out the available offers. Before doing that, you need to affirm the eligibility of exchanging your current device for a better model. The challenges and problems that could prevent you from making an iPhone trade-up include:

Battery issues with signs of swelling.

Boot-up errors and software installed issues.

Brocken, cracked or inoperative screen including pixel loss, visible lines, flickers, and non-functioning backlight.

Dents, scratches, and cracks on the housing and missing buttons.

Challenges are switching on and off.

If your device is spic, span, and in good condition, you can move on to the next step.

Unpairing Devices

One of the strongest points that set the iPhone as a force to reckon with in the technology industry is the cybersecurity protocols and systems used by Apple. It would be pointless to protect your data all through only to have the next user of your phone get easy access to it. There have been cases of impersonation and wrongful use of other people’s data. That is why DATA, in general, is said to be the 21st-Century goldmine.

Unpair the paired Apple watch by visiting the Apple Watch icon (if you have one) on the iPhone. Unpair Apple Watch under the My Watch tab by having the two nearby. Should you decide to continue with the same plan as you pair your phone to the next iPhone, choose to ‘maintain the current cellular plan’.

Save Data

Now you need to back up all your data, which could be done either through iTunes, which offers storage on your PC and Mac or through iCloud, which comes with a free 5GB storage capacity with extra 2TB should you need it.

Once you are connected to a Wi-Fi network, select iCloud under settings, then back up. Stay online till backup now is complete. Once complete, confirm under the Back Up Now when the last back up was done.

Signing Out and Clearing Out

Next is to sign out from every service you had previously signed up to. It is essential to have your log in details to enable you to access the services on the new device. These include iCloud, iTunes, and even the App Store.

Once this step is achieved, now you can ‘clean-house’ to minimize the risk of anyone seeing something they shouldn’t see. It generally means you need to restore to factory settings. Under the General settings, select Reset then Erase All Content and Settings. It only takes a couple of minutes, after which the iPhone will restart. Now you are ready for the Apple finance iPhone trade in. That notwithstanding, you might probably want to switch to a different device other than Apple. In this case, make sure you also deregister iMessage.

Go For It!

Now it’s time to grab the iPhone plans to save you a couple of bucks. Check out online quotes to get a rough idea of what your current iPhone costs. Then you can reach out to your carrier to enable the device to reach the new owner pretty quick.

Alternatively, find an authentic Apple store near you and head out there. They will take a few minutes to evaluate the current state of your iPhone, after which they will give you a quotation. It’s that easy to get yourself an upgrade to the iPhone X Apple – you better go for it!

Concluding Remarks

Apple gives you the grand opportunity to harvest more value than what you pay for. One thing is crystal clear with the iPhone brand – there’s always something better cooking in their pot. This next decade is likely to experience a wave of technological products not imagined in the last century. Will you be part of this move to upgrade to the latest tech in the block?

About the Author

Thomas Glare

Thomas Glare is a young journalist that already has some fantastic expertise when it comes to gadgets and rapidly developing technology.

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