Apple appears to be developing a retail trade-in system that would let customers save a trade-in offer to the Wallet app for up to 90 days, based on code seen by MacRumors.
References to the system were found in an update to Apple's Guide app. Guide is used by Apple employees, Apple Authorized Resellers, and other sales organizations during conversations and product demonstrations with customers.
One string in the app says: "You can add this trade-in offer to your Apple Wallet. It will be valid for 90 days."
Other strings indicate that an employee could display a QR code for the customer to scan with their iPhone. "To save this offer, simply scan the QR code with your iPhone's camera," another message says. The app also has localized "Add to Apple Wallet" buttons for dozens of regions and languages.
The Wallet pass appears to be the final step in a broader trade-in workflow added to the app. Code references describe checking whether a device is eligible, 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 vendors and generate a Wallet pass for the selected offer.
Apple has also added references to a "TradeInKit" framework, along with server endpoints for device eligibility, diagnostic sessions, trade-in pricing, and Wallet pass generation. Both the overall trade-in feature and the Wallet pass option appear to be controlled by server-side switches, so their presence in the app does not mean they are live for employees or customers yet.
A trade-in offer valid for 90 days would give customers a longer window than Apple currently advertises for online trade-ins. After a trade-in estimate is generated, Apple has to receive the device within 14 days to ensure the customer gets the estimated value.
Given the current 14-day limit, it's possible the unreleased system could be intended for a different kind of transaction. A customer visiting an Apple Store could have a device evaluated without immediately purchasing a replacement, save the resulting offer in Apple Wallet, and return within 90 days to use it. The Wallet pass could make the offer easier to retrieve than an email or paper quote, while giving customers more time to decide whether to upgrade.
Apple's code does not say whether the value displayed in the Wallet pass would be guaranteed for the full 90-day period. Apple's current trade-in terms allow 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 period. The new code also includes warnings for device lock states and indicates that trade-in values may be provided through Apple's existing third-party trade-in partners.
Apple has not announced Wallet-based trade-in offers or a 90-day price window. The feature could remain an internal test, and its implementation or terms may change before any wider rollout.
