You’ve probably seen Microsoft’s new TV ads poking fun at the iPad and Siri, but has taken that feud one step further, launching an iPad trade-in program offering potential converts the chance to swap their iPad for up to $200 in credit in the Microsoft Store.
The promotion lets you exchange your iPad 2, iPad 3 or iPad 4 for a gift card amounting to at least $200--which Microsoft suggests can go towards the purchase of a new Surface. Microsoft says that your iPad needs to include a power cable and shouldn’t be password protected in order to be traded for store credit. As per usual with trade-in programs, the value of your iPad is subject to Microsoft’s discretion.
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Microsoft hasn’t specified its terms or criteria, but says that it will accept your “gently used” iPad in exchange for a gift card. Most companies offering trade-in deals ask for devices that are barely touched and good as new in exchange for their highest value. Microsoft’s offer expires on Oct. 27 and is only available in stores within the US and Canada.
The trade-in program launches just as Microsoft is expected to unveil its new line of Surface tablets at an event on Sept. 23. Both new Surface tablets are rumored to come with a two-stage kickstand but will largely keep the same design as their predecessors. The second generation Surface Pro tablet is expected to feature a Haswell refresh that will improve its battery life and will reportedly run Windows 8.1 out of the box. The Surface 2, comparatively, will operate on Windows 8.1 RT.
While Microsoft prepares to unveil its new Surface devices, Apple is reportedly readying its next addition to the iPad family. No information about the alleged iPad 5’s specifications or release date have been announced, but renowned Apple leakster Sonny Dickson has been posting images of the next-gen iPad alongside the purported iPad Mini 2. Based on the images, Apple’s new iPad could sport thinner side bezels to allow for more screen space without actually making the tablet larger, but the design is largely expected to stay the same.
Reception of the Surface tablet has been lukewarm since Microsoft launched the slate last year, and the company was recently forced to slash its prices by 30 percent worldwide following sluggish sales. At the same time, Microsoft cut its Surface Pro sales by $100 in an effort to appeal to tablet shoppers. Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 RT updates launch on Oct. 18, so we’re anticipating a new Surface launch in conjunction with the software rollout.
