Apple to begin iPhone trade-ins

programmes for carriers like AT&T Inc and T-Mobile, to handle exchanges, Bloomberg cited the unidentified sources as saying on Thursday.

Apple and Brightstar did not immediately return calls for comment. New iPhones with no wireless contract are priced starting at US$649, depending on storage size. Demand is typically strong but investors worry that, as the US market becomes increasingly saturated, smartphone purchases will slow sharply.

A trade-in programme can help bolster demand for expensive new models, especially as arch-rival Samsung Electronics steps up an aggressive push to sell its own devices in the US market. — Reuters.