Apple is about to make trading in a slightly damaged iPhone more worthwhile

Apple is reportedly preparing to make an important change to its trade-in program today, potentially giving customers more money for iPhones and other devices that have minor cosmetic damage.

The change is expected to introduce more precise condition-based pricing. Until now, relatively small defects such as a chip in a device’s display glass could result in a significant reduction in trade-in value, with Apple’s assessment treating some minor damage similarly to a much more seriously cracked or smashed screen.

That approach is set to become more flexible. As reported by MacRumors, Apple will reportedly begin distinguishing between minor cosmetic imperfections and more substantial damage, allowing a device’s quoted value to better reflect its actual condition.

The change could be particularly useful for customers planning to upgrade following Apple’s ‘Surprise and shine’ event today. With new iPhones expected to be announced, trade-in values are likely to become an important part of the buying decision for customers looking to offset the cost of an upgrade.

Importantly, the revised assessment system is not expected to reduce the amount customers receive for devices compared with Apple’s existing process. Instead, some devices that would previously have been heavily penalized for relatively small imperfections could qualify for a higher value.

The updated system is reportedly due to take effect once Apple’s online trade-in service returns today and is expected to roll out across the vast majority of countries where Apple Trade In is available.

Apple most recently adjusted its headline trade-in values in August, increasing the amounts offered across several product families including iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. It is not yet clear whether today’s condition changes will be accompanied by another wider adjustment to those maximum values.

The timing is notable as Apple prepares to introduce its next generation of devices. The Apple Post has been covering today’s expected iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone announcements extensively, with higher prices expected to make trade-in credit increasingly valuable to customers upgrading this year.