Apple expands iPhone trade-in program to include Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and PCs

Apple today expanded its iPhone trade-in program to include select Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone smartphones. The company also now accepts PCs from certain manufacturers via its Reuse and Recycle program.

The trade-in program, available online and in-store, includes certain Samsung, HTC, LG, Nokia, Sony, and BlackBerry devices. Credit you receive for your old smartphone, in the form of an Apple Store gift card or bank transfer, has to be used toward the immediate purchase of a new iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus.

The expanded trade-in program is available in France, Italy, the U.K., and the U.S. The smartphone part of the program is arranged in partnership with third-party device buyback and trade-in company Brightstar Corporation, while the PC part is being handled by third-party vendor Dataserv, according to MacRumors.

This explains how Apple can offer such a program: Partnering with third parties means the company can push its own products without having to deal with the process of refurbishing and selling non-Apple hardware. Apple is naturally interested in offering more incentive for those considering switching from Android, BlackBerry, Windows, and Windows Phone.

Apple first launched its iPhone Reuse and Recycle trade-in program in August 2013, though it has since expanded to include iPads and Macs. The company didn’t make a specific announcement today; it merely updated the individual retail store pages in the relevant countries.

In September, Apple posted a support document titled Move content from your Android phone to iPhone. The company is increasingly acknowledging its competitors, something that simply did not happen just a few years ago, in an attempt to boost sales.

Keep in mind that trade-in programs typically don’t offer a particularly good deal for your old device. If, however, you want convenience, they are certainly better than dealing with trying to find a buyer on Craigslist or Kijiji.