Just in time for the holiday season, Apple is slightly revising its rules for iPhone trade-ins where the “liquid damage indicator” has been tripped. Previously the company would refuse such units outright, but now the company will judge the iPhone’s trade-in value by actual evidence of liquid presence or signs of liquid damage rather than just the indicator alone. This should allow for many more iPhones to be accepted into the trade-in program, spurring more upgrades and sales.
Some iPhones have been known to be recovered from liquid damage and operate normally, even if the indicator is still tripped. Phones that are still in good working order and show no signs of liquid damage will now be accepted into the company’s “Reuse and Recycle” program in both the US and UK. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously said that the company wanted to sell more of its iPhone models through its online and retail stores rather than resellers.
