Apple has quietly released its changes exchange pay range this week, leading to some profit — or loss — for people looking for the latest promotion iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Clocks.
Any figures you see are the biggest payoff you can get for a used device. The actual trade-in value depends not only on the model but also on the configuration (such as the amount of memory or storage), technical condition and other factors.
There is no change in the overall pattern of exchange. Newer models still have a higher overall trade-in value than older models.
Some phones didn’t get a price change at all. And while all iPads are showing higher premiums, some products — including the second-generation iPhone SE, the original Watch Ultra, the iMac Pro and the Mac Pro — are seeing lower trade-ins.
Some of the biggest bumps in iPhones include:
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: up to $490 ($25 increase)
- iPhone 16: up to $460 ($25 increase)
- iPhone SE third generation: up to $80 ($5 increase)
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: up to $375 ($25 increase)
- iPhone 13 Pro: up to $260 ($20 increase)
- iPhone 14 Pro: up to $320 ($25 increase)
- iPhone 15 Pro: up to $410 ($35 increase)
Select other devices:
- MacBook Air: up to $520 ($35 increase)
- Mac Mini: up to $375 ($35 increase)
- Mac Studio: up to $1045 ($70 increase)
- iPad: up to $235 ($15 increase)
- iPad Mini: up to $265 ($15 increase)
- Second-generation SE watch: up to $60 ($5 increase)
- View Ultra 2: up to $305 ($10 increase)
- Watch series 9: up to $130 ($10 increase)
Changes are all within 10% of the initial maximum values. Pro models of the iPhone 13, 14 and 15 received the largest percentage adjustments of all phones: $20 (8.3%), $25 (8.5%) and $35 (9.3%), respectively. Of all affected products, the Mac Mini received the biggest windfall: 10.3%, or an increase from $340 to $375.
The Mac Mini received a huge percentage increase in trade-in value.
I’m somewhat surprised that the company is still taking trade-ins on Intel-based systems rather than recycling them, as Apple is switching to its own silicon introduced the M series of processors in 2020, that is used only from 2023. But there seems to be a market for used models with Intel architecture, or at least sites like BackMarket still offer them.
Apple’s Mac operating system will stop supporting Intel processors with the next version, MacOS 27, and end its Rosetta emulation software with MacOS 28. (If you’re still using about a 10-year-old. Mac Pro(As a computer reviewer, I urge you to trade it in before Apple ditches it entirely.)
But what’s more interesting, and perhaps depressing to some, is that Apple has also lowered what it’s willing to pay for Android trade-ins. The latest Samsung Galaxy phones, the S23 and S24 lines, have been completely removed from Apple’s trading system. None of Samsung’s remaining phones got an increase, and a few dropped by $5. I have contacted Apple to clarify some of the decisions.
Apple periodically re-evaluates trade-in rates for used devices. In this case, however, the payment adjustment took place before the tech giant’s annual developer conference, WWDCon June 8, so the timing can be strategic. At those big events, Apple released new hardware to showcase the updated capabilities of its operating systems. It’s been a while since Apple did that, though — not since 2023, when it happened remove multiple devicesincluding the Vision Pro headset and the 15-inch MacBook Air.
Price flexibility for consumers can be another factor. The AI strong demand for parts — and the resources needed to do it — created a huge shortage of memory, processors and SSD storage, driving computer and phone high rates and affect what is available configuration options.
Perhaps Apple’s updates to trade-in ratings are intended to distract budget-conscious consumers (a little) from the sticker shock of upgrading our hardware.
