OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Alan Ramsey is the master technician at the Digital Express Lab on Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus. He's familiar with the interest people have in new phones around this time of year.
“You have a lot of people thinking about turning in their iPhone and upgrading or turning in a different iPhone and switching to iPhone,” Ramsey said.
For many, making the switch to something new might include trading in an old phone, Ramsey said it’s important to make sure the old phone is functional and is in good shape cosmetically before considering a trade-in for a new device.
Minor wear and tear like small scratches aren’t anything to worry about, he said. Major cracks in the screen or on the back, however, should probably be taken care of before making a trade.
“You could get something fixed in the $100 to $150 range for a newer iPhone,” Ramsey said. “You could end up getting $300-$400, maybe $500 in resale value, vs. maybe just $100 in trade-in value.”
The latest iPhone is coming with a new USB-C input connection, and Ramsey has some options for old cords.
“You can bring [them] to an electronics recycler,” he said. “If you want to keep using your cord, you can add an adapter to the end of it to change it from one style to another.”
Finally, Ramsey recommends making sure your device is wiped clean and doesn’t contain any personal information.
“You can also just fully reset the device,” he said. “You want to make sure you fully sign out of the account before you do that, that can give you peace of mind that no one can really compromise the account.”
Ramsey said a lot of this information translates to Android phones as well. Reboot Central is located in the Digital Express Building on campus and can help with cell phone repairs without charging for labor.
