Apple’s Trade-In Program Just Got So Much Better

If you were thinking of dumping that old laptop, hold on a second. Apple has just updated its trade-in policy, and you can now bring in any Apple product, as well as any desktop or laptop, for free recycling or even store credit. Yes, any desktop or laptop, including PCs — and it won’t cost you a dime.

Thanks to some keen eyes over at MacRumors, we now know that this is how it’ll go down: You can now trade in your iPad and/or iPhone for its “fair market value” (determined in store, by Apple) on an Apple gift card. Apple has done this for a while with desktops and laptops, both PC and Mac, but is now extending the offering to iPhones and iPads.

But remember, this only applies if your hunk of old technology is fit to be used in something new. If it has no monetary value at all, it goes in the recycle pile. But no worries — Apple has easy, pain-free plans for that, too.

It used to be that when you brought in old computers and displays that were worthless, you could recycle it for free if you were buying a Mac. If you weren’t buying a Mac, you had to pay $30 for a shipping fee. Now, whether or not you’re buying a Mac, any brand of computer or display will be recycled for free.

Most brands have some sort of trade-in program for their old products, but just like Apple, they offer credit instead of cash. So if you aren’t an Apple fan and don’t really need credit towards Apple gear, it’s worth the two seconds it’ll take to look up the manufacturer’s trade-in program details and get credit towards a brand you like. Other third-party programs like Gazelle also make it pretty easy to trade-in your old stuff for cash.

But where ever you choose to dump your old stuff, try not to aim for the trash can. The planet could use a break.