Apple offers its customers an iPod recycling program for the iPod line of products including the iPod, the iPod Mini and the iPod photo. The offer extends to one of 100 Apple retail stores and customers will receive a 10% discount on their next iPod purchase that day. Meaning one can’t take it in today and come back on Thursday to get the new iPod then. Inevitably, it will be tried.
iPods received for recycling in the US are processed domestically and no hazardous material is shipped overseas. More details of Apple’s worldwide recycling programs are available at apple.com/environment.
This isn’t a bad PR move for Apple, particularly because of the grief they’ve received in recent years over the batteries in iPods. The batteries didn’t have near the longevity they were supposed to have and Steve Jobs and Apple started feeling a bit cored.
This promotion comes today when reports say the sales of the iPod products will be lower. Goldman Sachs said in a report on Thursday that it foresees flattened sales.
Apple hasn’t release a new iPod product recently so retailers have plenty of the little MP3 player that lit up the market place. The iPod line is currently Apple’s hottest product.
With the advent of nifty items like “podcasting” becoming all the rage, iPods have certainly made an impact on the market but competitors are creeping up behind them with announcement from companies like Nokia bring out new products in coming months to compete with the high priced iPods.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
