Broken iPhone Screen? Apple Now Allows Trade-Ins For Cracked Screens Of iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus
An iPhone trade-in service has been around for a while with Apple, but now the company plans to offer a trade-in service for something plaguing users for quite some time: broken iPhone screens.
The Verge reports that this development is different from the iPhone Upgrade Program. With the iPhone Upgrade Program, users could trade in their old iPhone or smartphone to Apple and receive a gift card to spend on a new iPhone.
#Apple's upgrades iPhone trade-in program for phones with damaged screens, cameras, buttons https://t.co/HEZiEwurde pic.twitter.com/cLjPFTlTvh
— Tech2 (@tech2eets) February 5, 2016
They didn’t originally allow any iPhone trade-in because of a broken screen, but the times have changed. 9 To 5 Mac commented on the iPhone trade-in development, writing, “Apple is gearing up to launch a pair of new retail initiatives centered around the iPhone: an upgraded iPhone trade-in program for iPhones with damaged screens, cameras, or buttons, and a new program that allows Apple Retail Stores to install screen protectors on iPhones.”
Starting this week, Apple will allow iPhone 5s and iPhone 6/6 Plus units to be turned in if they have broken screens. Apple says the iPhone trade-in service should encourage consumers to purchase a new iPhone instead of simply replacing a cracked screen.
The trade-in value for different iPhone models is $50 for a 5s, $200 for a 6, and $250 for a 6 Plus.
Clearly, Apple wants to blaze a trail into the future with this program, and only time will tell whether it will actually work.
Selling new iPhones isn’t the only thing Apple is focused on. Along with this news, Apple announced that they will start allowing Apple Store employees to install screen protectors on iPhones. This is a big step, considering the practice was originally frowned upon big time by the company.
Apple will finally let you cash in your broken iPhone https://t.co/clzktZkpDg
— Aline Jenkins (@alinejenkins77) February 5, 2016
Overall, Apple is struggling a little bit as a company. Its stock has tumbled from $120 per share in December to around $96 per share today.
“We’re seeing extreme conditions, unlike anything we’ve experienced before, just about everywhere we look,” Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said.
The Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus dominated the market during the holiday quarter of 2014, but in 2015 the Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus weren’t able to replicate that same success.
As if that wasn’t enough, news about the new iPhone “error 53” is making the rounds on the Internet, and Apple just recently confirmed that they planted the error on purpose to discourage any third-party from tampering with their devices.
Apple is taking a big gamble with the iPhone 7's design, according to leaks https://t.co/oKgIHmCTL1
— Forbes (@Forbes) February 3, 2016
Upon first glance this news might seem a little harsh, but Apple cleared the air in a recent statement via 9 To 5 Mac.
“We protect fingerprint data using a secure enclave, which is uniquely paired to the Touch ID sensor. When iPhone is serviced by an [authorized] Apple service provider or Apple retail store for changes that affect the touch ID sensor, the pairing is re-validated.”
It would seem Apple is more concerned with the safety of the touch ID.
“This check ensures the device and the iOS features related to touch ID remain secure. Without this unique pairing, a malicious touch ID sensor could be substituted, thereby gaining access to the secure enclave. When iOS detects that the pairing fails, touch ID, including Apple Pay, is disabled so the device remains secure.”
There have been a slew of developments not boding well for Apple lately, and whether this new iPhone trade-in service for broken screens is actually going to pick up steam remains to be seen.
[Photo by ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images]
