Microsoft has stepped up its aggressive new approach to penetrating the iPhone- and Android-dominated smartphone market by announcing a new offer that lets owners of an iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S trade their devices in for a minimum of $200 at Microsoft stores.  Although the new iPhone 5S and 5C are breaking sales records for Apple, not everyone is sold on the device’s fingerprint scanner and iOS 7 operating system — a fact that Microsoft is counting on as it courts old iPhone users with the promise of something new: a Windows Phone 8 device.  This latest deal is nearly identical to an earlier promotion launched by Microsoft a few weeks ago that allowed iPad owners to trade in their tablets for a gift card redeemable in Microsoft stores.  A Microsoft spokesperson told Mashable that the offer was a part of its Recycle for Rewards program that lets customers trade in old devices, such as smartphones, tablets and even old Xbox consoles. In return, they get a Microsoft Store gift card for the value of their device.  For select brick-and-mortar store locations, Microsoft is working with CExchange, a Texas-based company that specializes in electronics trade-ins and buy-back programs, to facilitate its Recycle for Rewards program. CExchange also works with retailers such as Walmart and RadioShack to offer trade-in programs across the U.S.  While the notion of trading in an old iPad for a gift card toward purchasing a shiny new Surface tablet may be compelling for some, Microsoft’s strategy to offer old iPhone owners this deal so soon after the launch of the iPhone 5S and 5C is a decidedly bold move.  If Apple rival Samsung offered a similar deal, few would take note, but the fact that an old industry stalwart like Microsoft is targeting old iPhone owners with such perfect timing indicates that the company is serious about wresting at least a portion of the smartphone market from Apple and other competitors.  Unfortunately for long-time iPhone users looking to switch, Microsoft’s trade-in deal — which ends on Nov. 3 — does not extend to earlier versions of the iPhone, such as the iPhone 4 or 3GS versions.
Microsoft has unveiled a new deal designed to get old iPhone users to trade in their devices and possibly switch to a Window Phone 8 smartphone.