Apple appears to be developing a retail trade-in system that would allow customers to save a trade-in offer in the Wallet app for up to 90 days, based on the code seen by Woozad.
References to the system were found in an update to Apple’s Guide app. The guide is used by Apple employees, Apple Authorized Resellers, and other sales organizations in conversations and product demonstrations with customers.
A string in the app says: “You can add this trade-in offer to your Apple Wallet. It will be valid for 90 days.”
Other chains say an employee could display a QR code that the customer could scan with their iPhone. “To save this offer, simply scan the QR code with your iPhone camera,” another post reads. The app also offers localized “Add to Apple Wallet” buttons for dozens of regions and languages.
The Pass Wallet appears to be the final step in a broader redemption workflow added to the app. Code references describe checking a device’s eligibility, scanning or entering its serial number or IMEI, answering questions about its physical condition, and running Apple Diagnostics. The system can then retrieve quotes from trade-in providers and generate a Wallet pass for the selected offer.
Apple also added references to a “TradeInKit” framework, as well as server endpoints for device eligibility, diagnostic sessions, trade-in pricing, and Wallet pass generation. The overall redemption functionality and Wallet Pass option appear to be controlled by server-side switches, so their presence in the app does not mean they are yet available to employees or customers.
A trade-in offer valid for 90 days would give customers a longer window than Apple currently announces for online exchanges. Once the trade-in estimate is generated, Apple must receive the device within 14 days to ensure the customer gets the estimated value.
Given the current 14-day limit, it is possible that the new system is intended for another type of transaction. A customer visiting an Apple Store could have a device evaluated without immediately purchasing a replacement, save the resulting deal to Apple Wallet, and return within 90 days to use it. The Wallet pass could make the offer easier to redeem than an email or paper quote, while giving customers more time to decide whether they want to upgrade.
Apple’s code does not specify whether the value displayed in the Wallet pass would be guaranteed for the full 90-day period. Apple’s current exchange terms allow for a quote to be revised when the inspected condition differs from the customer’s description, when an activation lock has not been removed, or when a device is not returned within the required time frame. The new code also includes warnings about device lock states and indicates that trade-in values can be provided through Apple’s existing third-party trade-in partners.
Apple has not announced Wallet-based trade-in offers or a 90-day pricing window. The feature may remain an internal test, and its implementation or terms may change before any wider deployment.
