Apple plans to steal more Android customers by accepting their trade-ins

One annoyance for many folks looking to leave the Android camp is that they can’t trade their device in if they plan to do their business at the Apple store — Apple only ever cared to buy back their own phones and tablets. A new rumor suggests that could be changing, though.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple is looking to introduce a trade-in system for folks who might own Android and Windows Phone devices. The process will be just like your typical trade-in at any retail store or carrier: you take your phone in, they give you a trade value based on its condition, and you decide whether you want to keep your device or fork it over for store credit.

You’re probably vomiting at the thought of letting Apple judge the value of a device that wasn’t conceived within their Cupertino halls. Believe me, I’m with you. But the company partners with BrightStar to monitor the trade-in values for their own products, and there’s no reason that partnership wouldn’t extend here (in fact, we’d say it’s almost necessary for Apple to team up with existing trade-in valuation companies to execute this ambitious undertaking).

Apple’s already had themselves an unfathomable quarter, and giving Android users an easier way to transition certainly won’t hurt. Would you or anyone you know be more willing leave Android and give the “dark side” a shot through the sheer ease of being able to swap your hardware at one destination?

HTC plans to steal some of Samsung’s thunder, commits to April 10th US release date for HTC One M9

The HTC One M9 has already been launched in Taiwan, but the company has been a bit hushy about release dates for other regions. Thankfully the questions are over for those of us in the United States: the HTC One M9 will be available starting April 10th (which coincidentally happens to be the day Samsung is launching the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge).

That news was revealed during a Q&A session with HTC’s Jason McKenzie this morning as he took questions regarding the company’s groundbreaking new “Uh-Oh Protection” plan.

Details are scarce, but McKenzie was clear in saying that availability would only “start” April 10th. Whether that be at retail or through one or more carriers at the same time is yet to be determined, but it’s important to know that they’re not promising every carrier and store will have it on that day.

What he did promise is that the phone will eventually make its way to all major carriers in the United States, which we identify to be Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular.

Other interesting notes from the Q&A:

• Uh-Oh Protection is available no matter which carrier or retailer you buy your device from


• Phones with root or custom ROMs are eligible to be replaced under Uh-Oh Protection


• Uh-Oh Protection does not cover lost or stolen devices


• The 0 credit to buy the next HTC One you get for going 12 months without an accident is not dependent on trading your HTC One M9 in — you can keep your old phone and still use your credit for a new one (or trade the phone in and stack the credit on top of that)


• Uh-Oh Protection will be available for buyers of the HTC One M8, but only if you buy your HTC One M8 after the HTC One M9 has launched.

Let us know if you’ll be planning to pick one up once they finally hit store shelves.

Samsung wants to steal Apple’s iPhone 6S thunder by announcing the Galaxy Note 5 in July [RUMOR]

Samsung typically waits until summer months come to a close to announce the latest Galaxy Note phone each year, but new rumors suggest they could be pushing the announcement and launch of the device much sooner. Korean outlet WhoWired claims to have knowledge of plans for Samsung to announce the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 in July, a full two months sooner than their usual launchpad of September’s IFA event in Berlin.

“Why,” do you ask? Well, Apple’s refreshed iPhone 6 — which should be called the iPhone 6S if history is anything to go by — will be out by then, and you can bet Samsung doesn’t want to give Apple a two month window to reveal and launch a new smartphone without having something of their own to show off.

The source suggests Samsung has already finalized specs for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, though there’s still no clear idea of what we can expect. We can at least expect it to one-up the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge as Samsung typically uses the Note series’ launches to introduce their latest ideas and innovations. If word of its impending announcement is true then it won’t be much longer before we’re let in on all the juicy details.

[via PhoneArena]