Following the launch of Apple's iPhone 15 in South Africa, iStore has addressed the elephant in the room – the cost of buying a new device in today’s economy - by announcing significant trade-in values. iStore asserted that its trade-in values are ‘’the highest in the world,’’ with some values soaring to R24 000 for last year's iPhone 14 range.

In practical terms, this means owners of an existing iPhone could legitimately lay their hands on a new iPhone 15 for under R8000, without falling prey to one of those shady scams that litter social media promising high end phones for rock bottom prices.

According to the company, the move is intended to reflect its commitment to providing their customers with a ‘’smarter, more flexible and more affordable way to own the latest iPhone.’’

"iStore has seen a growing trend where customers are moving away from funding their device through a cellular contract, by using iStore’s high trade in values to buy iPhone outright, ” explained Chris Dodd, CEO of iStore.

The main draw of taking advantage of the trade in programme is affordability and flexibility: By trading in their current iPhone, customers can significantly reduce the upfront cost of upgrading to the iPhone 15. This approach offers greater affordability and flexibility, allowing users to enjoy the latest technology without stretching their budget too far.

There is another advantage of trading up, that may also be appealing to existing iPhone owners: freedom from cellular contracts. This could be a compelling reason to take advantage of the program, particularly for those who want the latest iPhone but don’t want to get tied into a cellular contract, but would rather manage their cellular usage on a more flexible basis.

‘’With our new trade-in values, customers can upgrade to the latest iPhone 15 while significantly reducing the financial commitment that comes with a long-term cellular contract. We recognise that cellular contracts limit upgrade and payment flexibility, which is why we are championing a better way to buy an iPhone,’’ continues Dodd.

For example, those who trade in an iPhone 13 (128 GB) would be eligible to purchase a 128 GB iPhone 15 less R14 500, and pay the difference of R7500. Trading in an iPhone 13 Pro would save buyers R17 500, and enable them to purchase a new iPhone 15 Pro for R10 200, less than half the price of a new device without any trade in.

‘’We want to ensure we give our customers a flexible and affordable option to purchase the latest iPhone without the worry of long-term contract lock-ins. This is quite simply just a better way to buy iPhone,” concludes Dodd.