Apple begins two new Apple Store iPhone incentive programs, goes after broken devices, offers protective screen replacement

These could be two interesting moves on Apple’s part.

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.

As of this week, Apple updated its Apple Store Reuse and Recycle iPhone trade-in program currently allows a customer to bring in an older iPhone model and trade it in for credit toward the purchase of a new iPhone model. The revised program will allow Apple Stores to give credit for iPhone 5s and iPhone 6/6 Plus units with damaged displays, cameras, and buttons within reason. Apple believes that this new program will encourage new iPhone upgrades versus a standard iPhone screen repair.

This comes at a time when buying a new iPhone can sometimes be cheaper than a repair, especially with subsidies, financing and credit being given towards the traded-in iPhone.

Sources say that the current trade-in values for this program are: $50 for a 5s, $200 for a 6, and $250 for a 6 Plus.

Also involving iPhone displays, all Apple Stores will start offering official plastic screen protector installations on iPhones in the coming weeks. The program began rolling out in select stores today.

Apple has brought in at least one screen protector partner firm via Belkin to bring dedicated screen protector installation machines to the back of stores. Before this new program, Apple Stores were told to not perform screen protector installations on customer iPhones given the possibility of the installation of a third-party product not going smoothly.

If the installation via the new machine results in an error, Apple will offer a free screen protector replacement and re-attempt the installation.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Via 9to5Mac