Samsung now paying $300 for selected older smartphones

It’s quite generous of Samsung, really, to firstly buy back its smartphones and, secondly to pay so much for them.

Okay, so it’s not just any phone that will fetch the full US$300, but it’s not only a Samsung either. The program says that if you mail in your old smartphone within 30 days of getting your new Samsung smartphone, then you will get a refund depending on the model and condition of your old smartphone.

For instance, an immaculate condition iPhone 4S 64GB will fetch the full US$300, a 32GB will fetch US$230 and a 16GB will get US$215. Not bad, but who has a perfect condition iPhone that they don’t want anymore?

The 4S and Galaxy SIII are direct competitors and so similar that few people will giving up their 4S on the chance that they will get the full rebate. If it’s for a new yet-to-be-released Samsung smartphone, then yes, a consideration is possible.

It will also mean that Samsung is practically giving away its smartphones. It does sell far more than Apple on a global basis, but that’s no reason to give anything away (although it should be).

Maybe I should see what my iPhone fetches… probably a whole US$25 considering the abuse I’ve put it through.