The iPhone 5 Is Coming: How to Sell Your Old iPhone - East Idaho News
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The iPhone 5 Is Coming: How to Sell Your Old iPhone

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Getty 082712 iPhoneAppleLogo?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1347444548188SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — In anticipation of the new iPhone 5, which Apple is expected to announce on Wednesday, millions of users have begun preparing to get rid of their old iPhones.

In the last 30 days, Gazelle, a site that buys people’s used gadgets, has received 1.2 million iPhone offers.  That means it provided price quotes for 1.2 million iPhones out there.

“This is the biggest anticipated launch in a long time.  People know it is coming and it’s been a very busy time for us,” Anthony Scarsella, Gazelle’s Chief Gadget Officer, told ABC News.

Gazelle allows people to get a quote for their current iPhone.  Once users get the quote they can decide if they want to sell their phone to the company.  The Boston-based company provides a shipping label and box.  When it receives the phone it wipes the data from it and resells it on eBay, Overstock, or to other resellers.

And it is certainly a good time to be in the iPhone buying business right now, said Scarsella.

“The numbers keep on rising and we expect tomorrow to be the highest volume day.  The volume has already been five times what we saw last year,” he said.

That is, of course, related to the rumors that the iPhone 5 will be one of Apple’s biggest phone upgrades.  The phone is expected to have a larger screen, LTE, a faster processor, and a new dock connector.

Other sites like Glyde, which offers a peer-to-peer marketplace for buying and selling, have seen a similar uptick in people coming to sell iPhones.  According to the company, iPhone 4S inquiries have been up over 700 percent in the last two weeks.

Glyde has rolled out an iPhone Upgrade Tool, which people can use to determine the value of their used device.  They also offer a set price on iPhones.  Right now, Gylde is paying $403.75 for the iPhone 4S 64GB in good condition, which it claims is higher than its competitors.

No matter where you sell, those who watch gadget prices say that as we get closer and closer to Apple’s event, current iPhones will be worth a lot less.

“Once Tim Cook gets on stage, we can expect prices to steadily decline,” Scarsella said.

That, of course, means time is running out.  Apple’s iPhone 5 event kicks off Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. PT.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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