In a new phase lasting through June 18, 2025, Apple has expanded a China trade in program that offers extra discounts on iPhone models. The move is an attempt by the company to regain some momentum in a hugely competitive smartphone market where it has been slipping behind local rivals.
The new program encourages customers to trade in their older iPhones to get newer models for a massively slashed price. According to the state of the device being exchanged as well as generation, consumers can get significant off the new iPhone expense. It’s supposed to make Apple’s latest devices more affordable to a broader base of customers who may have been worried about buying one because of the cost.
The move by Apple to up its trade in incentives comes weeks after the firm’s share price in China fell. According to the report, Apple share reportedly fell in the first quarter of 2025, as domestic smartphone brand were still popular and offered advanced features at more affordable prices. Adding to the difficulty, China’s major e commerce platforms have also joined in the price slashing on Apple products such as iPhone 16 in an effort to accelerate sales during peak promotional times.
With consumers becoming increasingly price sensitive, Apple’s trade in push is meant to not only turn a short term sale, but keep customers who can be lost as the top line grows slowly. The company is banking on the long tail value of keeping users confined (as long as possible) within the Apple ecosystem where they may keep buying subscriptions, apps and continue to show brand loyalty.
In addition, the purpose of this trade in campaign is strategic – it assists Apple manage the inventory and boost the movement of their most recent technology. By pushing out older devices while putting the latest models into user hands, it can galvanize a more homogenous base who have access to features and features that rely on features of the newest hardware that users have.
Apple’s sustainability emphasis is global and so is its trade-in strategy. The company refurbishes and resells old devices or recycles the components on the devices to decrease electronic waste while encouraging circular economy model.
With the June 18 deadline looming and some analysts projecting Apple will fall far short of 300 million devices by the time the deadline has passed, the company is expected to up both its online and in retail efforts to increase awareness and participation. Apple hopes the enhanced trade-in offering will help it maintain its presence in China, win over new buyers and keep existing ones sweet in a tight market.
