Samsung Launches Innovative Year-Round Trade-In Program

Samsung has introduced a significant update to its Galaxy Trade-In program, allowing consumers to exchange select Galaxy smartphones with the company throughout the year, independent of purchasing a new device.

The revised program launches today in South Korea and France, with additional markets expected to follow in 2025. According to Samsung, the goal is to "enhance the value of Galaxy devices" over time by offering "remarkable savings" through this trade-in initiative.

Two major alterations characterize this revamped program, which will be managed by the insurance and repair enterprise, Likewize. Firstly, the previous requirement for a concurrent purchase is removed. Before this change, trade-ins necessitated buying from Samsung's online platform, with the trade-in option appearing exclusively during the checkout.

The second revision is the "year-round" accessibility of trade-ins. While available all year in the US and many Western markets, South Korea previously restricted trade-in periods to certain times, often following the release of major new products, such as next week’s anticipated S25 launch.

A notable limitation persists: the program is restricted to specific Samsung flagship models. Currently eligible are the Galaxy S20 series through the S23, and the foldable models from the Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 up to the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. Interestingly, last year's Galaxy S24 and Z Flip/Fold 6 are excluded, meaning trade-ins of the freshest models are not yet viable.