A BlackBerry Passport smartphone is shown at its official launching event in Toronto, September 24, 2014. BlackBerry launched an unconventional new smartphone dubbed the Passport on Wednesday, as it embarked on potentially the most critical phase of its l
IN PHOTO: A BlackBerry Passport smartphone is shown at its official launching event in Toronto, September 24, 2014. BlackBerry launched an unconventional new smartphone dubbed the Passport on Wednesday, as it embarked on potentially the most critical phase of its long turnaround push. REUTERS/Aaron Harris (CANADA - Tags: BUSINESS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY TELECOMS)
A BlackBerry Passport smartphone is shown at its official launching event in Toronto, September 24, 2014. BlackBerry launched an unconventional new smartphone dubbed the Passport on Wednesday, as it embarked on potentially the most critical phase of its long turnaround push. REUTERS/Aaron Harris (CANADA - Tags: BUSINESS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY TELECOMS)

In a bid to regain its lost market share, Ontario-based phonemaker BlackBerry is offering owners of iPhones up to $400 if they would trade in their Apple-made units for a BlackBerry Passport phone.

Those who own iPhone 4 and later models could get up to $400 in trade-in value and a $200 top-up from BlackBerry. The phones must be in working condition and the promo is limited to the US and Canada.

It would begin on Dec 1 and end Feb 13, 2015.

Those who would buy the new BlackBerry Passport phone must purchase it from ShopBlackBerry.com or Amazon.com. The buyer would receive the $400 or whatever amount the phone exchange would qualify as a prepaid Visa gift card that BlackBerry will mail to users within six weeks after the company receives the iPhone and proof of purchase of the Passport.

The Passport is available in white, red and black colours. It has a 4.5-inch display, 32 MB memory and 13 megapixel shooter.

YouTube/BlackBerry