Apple Inc. To Lure Android Users To iPhone Through Trade-In Program: Report

Looking to make the switch from Android to iPhone? Apple Inc. may soon have an offer to compel you. The tech firm is preparing to roll out a program where Android users can trade in their device and in return receive an Apple gift card that can be used toward the purchase of an iPhone or other products at the Apple Store, according to a report from 9to5Mac.

The program would be similar to the company’s current recycling and trade-in program, which accepts iPhones, iPads, Macs and PCs. As with other trade-in programs, the value of the trade would be determined by store employees or Apple's recycling partner, Brightstar, based on the internal and external condition of the smartphone. The trade-in program, launched in 2013, has been used on several occasions to encourage older iPhone users to upgrade to newer models, including the iPhone 5S.

“We had the highest number of customers new to iPhone last quarter than in any prior launch,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company’s January earnings call. “The current iPhone lineup experienced the highest Android switcher rate in any of the last three launches in the three previous years.”

It’s one of many efforts by Apple to increase sales and encourage Android users to switch to the iPhone. Last year, Apple released a detailed guide for moving data from Android to the iPhone, to help ease the transition.

Though the program has yet to be officially announced, Apple employees are reportedly being trained on it in preparation for a rollout in the next few weeks.