Microsoft buys up rival devices for recycling
Monday, September 23, 2013 - 11:26:41
While mobile phone and tablet recycling is generally carried out by independent companies so that people can spend the money they get in return on whatever they want, Microsoft is now using it as a marketing tactic in its native US, thanks to a trade-in program set up last week.
This is the second time that Microsoft has dabbled with recycling for cash in September, having earlier confirmed that it would be offering iPad owners an amount of cash for their old tablet, if they wanted to upgrade to one of its own-brand Surface devices.
It was offering a minimum of the equivalent to £126 for Apple's flagship tablet, but has now gone out on a limb and said that it will give anyone who trades in an iPhone, Android or BlackBerry handset a gift card worth about £218.
This gift card will only give buyers access to a Microsoft product, including the Surface tablet, a Windows Phone 8 smartphone or even a PC or laptop running Windows 8.
The older technology which is traded in will be comprehensively recycled by one of Microsoft's partners, ensuring that consumers get the peace of mind that they need, because you might assume that the company would just end up taking these products out of circulation completely.
If the old smartphones and tablets are in a good enough condition, they will be resold overseas or even given away to charities.
Microsoft has had a hard time getting its Surface tablet range off the ground, although the Windows Phone 8 operating system has been a little more successful.
There will probably be some people who are happy to get a gift card in exchange for their old gadgets, so hopefully, Microsoft will extend the offer to the UK.
Latest News
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - 10:32:41
Every industry around the world has been impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and recycling has been especially affected as a result of force [...]
Read More
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - 21:33:36
Apple has pulled back the curtains on the all-new iPhone SE, bringing with it a raft of eco-friendly design features which aim to improve the green cr [...]
Read More
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 - 21:32:00
Researchers from New Zealand have demonstrated a new recycling solution which could help companies to reclaim rare materials from smartphones, PCs and [...]
Read More