Apple has just confirmed details of how to upgrade to the new iPhone, with trade-in deals that start this Friday, Sept. 13. That’s when pre-orders open, at 5 a.m. Pacific. Whether you’re buying outright or choosing a financing option or carrier deal, you can do it direct through Apple. And the credit that comes from trading in can be spent on the Apple Watch or AirPods as well as the iPhone.
Apple’s new fall products.
That’s a good idea because there’s been a worrying amount of scams coming to light recently, as highlighted by Forbes Senior Contributor Kate O’Flaherty, who writes about it here.
Buying direct from Apple overcomes any fears of being scammed. And the options to save money are not bad, either. Apple’s latest post on its Newsroom says that the “iPhone keeps its value better than any other smartphone, making it even more valuable when customers trade in an old device. Customers can get $180 to $650 in credit when they trade in iPhone 12 or higher, or up to $1,000 in credits to put toward iPhone 16 Pro with a carrier promotion.
“Apple Specialists can help customers choose the right model for them, set up, and activate their new iPhone with select U.S. carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and for the first time, Boost Mobile — all done directly at Apple.”
In the U.K., by the way, if you’re buying an iPhone 16 Pro, you can trade in an iPhone 12 or higher to receive between £180 and £645 in credit.
Although pre-orders only start on Friday, Sept. 13, “Customers have until 9 p.m. PDT this evening [Thursday, Sept. 12] to get a head start on pre-ordering the new iPhone 16 lineup by choosing their desired model, selecting their preferred payment method — including pre-approval for financing — and saving their shopping bag so they’re only one click away once pre-orders open tomorrow,” Apple says.
You can also trade in earlier iPhones, right back to the iPhone 7 Plus, though the maximum trade-in value you’ll get with that is $40 or £30 in the U.K.
The trade-in program gives you either a credit towards an upgrade or an Apple Gift Card which you can use on any product whenever you want.
And, as Apple points out, there’s a new service being offered this fall, where customers purchasing direct from Apple can get one-on-one sessions with an Apple Specialist for extra help in setting up the new iPhone.