- Apple trimmed U.S. iPhone trade-in estimates by $10–$20, lowering the iPhone 16 Pro Max maximum credit to $650.
- In China, Apple expanded trade-in eligibility to include some Huawei, Xiaomi and other Android phones, with iPhone trade-ins reaching up to 5,800 yuan, Chinese media reported.
- The revisions can nudge the effective price of a new iPhone higher for buyers relying on trade-in credit.
Apple has lowered the maximum credit it offers in the United States for trading in an iPhone, trimming payouts for models including the iPhone 16 lineup. The iPhone 16 Pro Max now fetches up to $650 in trade-in credit, down from $670, one report showed. Phonearena
Trade-in credits matter because they are one of the simplest ways many buyers cut the price of a new phone at checkout. Small changes ripple through upgrade math, especially for customers moving up storage tiers or buying for a family.
In China, Apple has also updated trade-in values and widened the list of eligible devices to include some Huawei, Xiaomi and other Android models, The Paper reported, citing Apple’s website. The outlet said an iPhone 16 Pro Max could be worth up to 5,800 yuan under Apple’s Trade In programme in China. Thepaper
In the U.S., the reductions largely came in $10 and $20 steps, with higher-end “Pro” and “Pro Max” models generally seeing the bigger cut, according to a separate report. The iPhone 16 Pro Max moved to $650 from $670 and the iPhone 16 Pro to $530 from $550, while older models such as the iPhone 13 Pro Max fell to $280 from $300, it said. Slashgear
Apple’s trade-in offers are posted as estimated maximums — the top value shown before Apple checks the device’s condition and configuration — and the credit can be used toward a new purchase or issued as a gift card, the company says. Apple’s U.S. Trade In page also lists some third-party phones, including devices from Samsung and Google, as eligible for trade-in. Apple
In mainland China, Apple says customers can trade in many Apple and third-party devices, including Huawei and Samsung smartphones, and choose to apply the credit to a new product or have it transferred to a bank account for online trade-ins. Apple also says a device with no trade-in value can still be recycled for free. Com
Tech sites tracking Apple’s tables said the latest U.S. update also touched iPads, Macs and Apple Watch models, with iPad and watch values generally easing while some Mac figures moved sharply. MacRumors reported Apple revised published Mac trade-in values again within hours on the day it posted the updated charts. Macrumors Wi Fiplanet
But the numbers are not guarantees. The final credit can come in lower after inspection, and Apple can reprice trade-ins again, leaving buyers who wait to upgrade exposed to another round of cuts.
For consumers, the shift is small on any one device, but it changes the baseline for what an old iPhone is “worth” inside Apple’s ecosystem. That, in turn, can push more sellers toward private resale or carrier promotions — especially in markets like China, where Apple is also courting switchers from domestic Android brands.
