Apple Pushing iPhone Upgrades During Holiday Shopping Season

Apple this week has encouraged customers to trade in and upgrade to a new iPhone through its website, email and an App Store banner advertisement.

Apple's new section on its iPhone website reminds customers about trading in their current smartphone at the Apple Store or online through partner Brightstar for up to $320 instant credit. Apple accepts the iPhone 4 or later for trade in.

iPhone-Upgrade-Apple

Apple's website, left, and email, right, promoting iPhone upgrades this week

Apple's mass email to U.S. customers promotes the iPhone Upgrade Program and shares details about how the financing program works. The email also provides similar details about trading in a smartphone for up to $320 instant credit.

Apple has also made the controversial decision to advertise the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to older iPhone users directly in the App Store, with a pop-up banner advertisement that can be dismissed by tapping on "skip" in the top-right corner.

iphone_6s_banner

App Store banner advertising the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

iPhones are one of the hottest gifts during the holiday shopping season, so it is unsurprising that Apple is pushing its latest smartphones at this time of the year alongside free shipping, extended returns and complimentary gift wrapping. Undoubtedly, though, the move will also stir discussion about iPhone sales.

Apple sold 48 million iPhones in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, up from 39.2 million in the year-ago quarter. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus sales topped a record 13 million during their launch weekend, but KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently predicted the iPhone 6s may not outsell the iPhone 6.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped

Monday April 14, 2025 3:12 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them. According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
iPad Pro iPadOS

iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

Sunday April 13, 2025 6:43 am PDT by
A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware. That could soon change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS." Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:Improved productivity Improved multitasking Improved app window management...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta

Vision Pro 2 Rumored to Have Two Key Advantages Over Current Model

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:15 am PDT by
Apple is working on a new version of the Vision Pro with two key advantages over the current model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, in his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing a new headset that is both lighter and less expensive than the current Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499 in the U.S. and weighs up to 1.5 pounds. Gurman said Apple is also...
Apple Bristol Current

An Apple Store in the UK is Permanently Closing Later This Year

Monday April 14, 2025 7:33 am PDT by
Apple has confirmed that it will be permanently closing its retail store in the heart of Bristol, England, and there is no replacement in sight. Apple Bristol in 2023 Apple Bristol will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 9, due to redevelopment plans at the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, and the adjacent Bristol Shopping Quarter. According to news reports, and a building application, the ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Waiting for the Perfect MacBook Pro? 2026 Might Be the Year

Thursday April 10, 2025 4:19 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...

Top Rated Comments

Crosscreek Avatar
122 months ago
Phones are at the point like PCs where the upgrade is not needed that often anymore.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adbe Avatar
122 months ago
Hey Apple, I don't spend $600 on your hardware just so that you can use it as a billboard for spending another $600. If I wanted to see commercials, your competitors offer devices at much cheaper prices.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
122 months ago
I don't give a crap who you are, if you hit me with unsolicited pop-up banners...:mad:
Pretty sh!@#$&, imo
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
122 months ago
Isn't that what a company that sells phones supposed to do around the holiday season?
According to Apple, we are not the product. This is exactly why people rail against Google. Targeted advertising.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
122 months ago
Just had that popup ad myself when I opened the App Store app. Seemed very... odd. Could just be a coincidence, but it's not exactly helping quell the rumour about slumping iPhone sales to see a sudden change of sales tactic like this.
Someone needs to release a content blocker for the App Store. :D
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ch02ce Avatar
122 months ago
I too got this opening the app store, on my brand new 5S. Found it a bit tasteless. In fact, and this might take the discussion wildly off track, but it got me thinking on my way to work that the Cook years will likely be remembered for their focus on maximizing shareholder value.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)