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Samsung wants all your old hardware, raises trade-in limit to 4 devices for latest pre-orders
Considering what it's offering for some hardware, though, maybe think twice
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Trading in your old phone can be a great way to cut down the cost of a new handset, and that's all the more important when we're shopping for expensive phones like the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip series. With Samsung's latest models, it looks easier than ever to save a lot through trade-ins, thanks to the company letting you trade in up to four devices at once.
Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra: Best deals, pricing, trade-in values, and availability
Where to find the best deals on Samsung's newest Note
Samsung's newest Note phones are here, and they're very, very expensive. These phones sport Samsung's latest displays, improved S Pens, and all the 5G you can handle. If you're dead-set on picking up the new Galaxy Note20 or Note20 Ultra, you've got several options. Samsung has the unlocked phone, of course, but you can also buy the phone from your carrier of choice. We've got all the details right here. Most pre-order deals are over now, and it'll probably be a few more weeks at least before there are new discounts.
Sonos backtracks on controversial speaker-bricking trade-in program
Now you can get the discount without turning your old gear into garbage
Sonos is backtracking on its contentious new trade-in program, which effectively bricked devices that were flipped into a "recycle mode" for a trade-in discount. Instead of ensuring all its old speakers end up in the garbage, the company is switching to a serial number-based validation system to snag a discount, and you can even hang onto your old, outdated speaker.
It's not uncommon for smartphone manufacturers to offer some sort of trade-in incentive for the brand-new model. Samsung's been doing it for several iterations now, as have Google and Apple. However, there seems to be an inherent logistical problem with these types of programs. There are always some trade-ins that are deemed ineligible, when, in actuality, they're perfectly compliant. That's what's happening to a bunch of Galaxy S10 buyers who took Samsung up on their trade-in deals.
When Google started its recent trade-in program, the most common gripe was that the packaging provided by the company was seen as insufficient protection for your phone. In fact, there were multiple reports of devices being damaged in transit as a result of the flimsy envelopes. Well, that shouldn't be a problem anymore, as Google has now switched to padded boxes.
Just a bit before the new Pixel 2 phones launched, Google released a new trade-in program that allows you to swap an older phone for credit that can be applied (in the form of a partial refund) on a purchase. Since it rolled out, there have been reports that the inspection being performed on phones isn't accurate, resulting in an incorrect trade-in value assessment. According to a statement by a Google rep, this issue seems to have been fixed, at least when it comes to Pixel phones and factory reset/device classification.
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- Trade-in prices for the Pixel and Pixel XL are now live on the Google Store, so you can see what you're likely to get if you swap your first generation model for one of the new devices coming October 4th.
We first learned about a possible trade-in program that Google was running with the launch of the Moto X4 on Android One. But at that time, we only knew that Nexus devices would be eligible for offers up to $165, and that trade-ins before October 5th would get an additional $50 of Fi credit. The Google Store's trade-in program has now gone live ahead of the Pixel 2 launch, and the offers are unsurprisingly low.
Samsung runs promotions on its phones pretty often. For the Galaxy S8 alone, we've already seen quite a few - a free Gear VR / an optional $99 bundle for pre-orders, a free "Entertainment Kit," and currently, a free 0 Visa card. However, while customers were recently guaranteed a $200 discount on the S8 in exchange for almost any phone in good condition that they sent Samsung's way as a trade-in, the company is having a hard time delivering on its promises to some.