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AT&T Next every year vs Apple Installment

R

rstark18

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 18, 2009
1,145
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Whenever I upgrade to a new iPhone I give my old one to my wife and she gives hers to our nephew. With the iPhone 7 it will be the first time we aren't on a 2 year contract.

I was planning to do the AT&T Next Every Year program this time around with the iPhone 7 and then just pay off the phone next year so I could get the iPhone 8. I didn't realize that Apple has a payment plan that is exactly like the Next Every Year EXCEPT you don't have the upgrade options (which I don't want anyway) On top of that AT&T charges a $20 activation fee. So technically doing it through Apple is $20 cheaper. Anyone else doing it this way? Anything I'm missing?
 
Really it all works out the same. AT&T doesn't include AppleCare. But in the end you pay almost the exact same. Both of them you can pay off early if you want. I paid off my Apple Upgrade Plan early and also paid off a phone on NEXT early too. Just depends on what you want.

I will be going back to the Apple Upgrade Plan for the iPhone 7. I liked how it included AppleCare.
 
appygirl82 said:
Really it all works out the same. AT&T doesn't include AppleCare. But in the end you pay almost the exact same. Both of them you can pay off early if you want. I paid off my Apple Upgrade Plan early and also paid off a phone on NEXT early too. Just depends on what you want.

I will be going back to the Apple Upgrade Plan for the iPhone 7. I liked how it included AppleCare.
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I wasn't talking about the Apple Upgrade program with Applecare. I'm talking straight Apple payments without Applecare.
 
jca24 said:
Save yourself the headache, just buy it outright. Payments are for houses, maybe a high dollar car, but a phone, nope.
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They won't be available for a while as unlocked no carrier attached if it's anything like past years. Otherwise I would.
 
rstark18 said:
I wasn't talking about the Apple Upgrade program with Applecare. I'm talking straight Apple payments without Applecare.
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Doesn't Apple charge like 10% interest when you finance through them. If those are your only two options go AT&T. But iPhone Upgrade Program would be way better than Apple finance.

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Nvm found out the plan you are talking about. That is certainly new.
 
jca24 said:
Wait a month or so, or better yet just wait to the iPhone 8.
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I can't. Nephew needs a phone ASAP,

kupkakez said:
I could have sworn I got my 6s last year unlocked right from Apple on preorder night full retail.
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Did you? I read a thread saying they weren't available for two weeks after launch. If they are available at preorder then I will.
 
rstark18 said:
I can't. Nephew needs a phone ASAP,


Did you? I read a thread saying they weren't available for two weeks after launch. If they are available at preorder then I will.
Click to expand...

SIM-free wasn't available until 2 weeks after launch. Unlocked if purchased full price was available at launch. To get a fully unlocked device at launch you need to be part of the Apple installment plan, iPhone Upgrade Plan or pay full price. But its the carrier unlocked version, not SIM-free.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
It must be new, because it wasn't on their website 3 weeks ago. But I haven't even seen MacRumors report about it. So it must have been added quietly.
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When I go through trying to buy an iPhone I don't see that option. Any regular pages that talk about it?
 
aristobrat said:
When I go through trying to buy an iPhone I don't see that option. Any regular pages that talk about it?
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Here is what I see after picking Phone, Carrier, Color and Size. If you continue to scroll down you will see pay in Full as well.

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 5.38.05 PM.png
 
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rstark18 said:
They won't be available for a while as unlocked no carrier attached if it's anything like past years. Otherwise I would.
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Doesn't matter. Once your phone is paid off. Ur carrier unlocks it anyway.

A 6S att "locked" phone paid at full price launch day Sept 2015 is the same exact as the "unlocked" official Apple iPhone 6S released weeks later. Same exact phone. And since u paid for it full price launch day. It's automatically unlocked anyways. If there is any issue. Att will unlock it since its paid for.
 
rstark18 said:
I can't. Nephew needs a phone ASAP,


Did you? I read a thread saying they weren't available for two weeks after launch. If they are available at preorder then I will.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure, I tend to usually just buy outright
Mlrollin91 said:
Here is what I see after picking Phone, Carrier, Color and Size. If you continue to scroll down you will see pay in Full as well.

View attachment 647802
Click to expand...

Interesting! Good to see that as an option for people who'd rather pay installments that aren't on one of the major carriers
 
I didn't realize that full price phones tied to AT&T were available for preorder (which makes sense) so I will definitely be buying outright instead of payments. This gives me an extra year warranty through Amex.
 
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You may not be able to get sim free but paying outright means you get an unlocked phone. If you're super paranoid, pay outright for a Verizon phone.

But anyway, I see nothing wrong with 0% interest payments. You can pay it off whenever you want or trade it in st 12 months. Haters gonna hate.
 
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lordofthereef said:
You may not be able to get sim free but paying outright means you get an unlocked phone. If you're super paranoid, pay outright for a Verizon phone.

But anyway, I see nothing wrong with 0% interest payments. You can pay it off whenever you want or trade it in st 12 months. Haters gonna hate.
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I have my iPhone 6 sim.

If you have the cash it makes more sense to pay in full as long as your CC has extended warranty. If not then it doesn't matter.
 
rstark18 said:
I have my iPhone 6 sim.

If you have the cash it makes more sense to pay in full as long as your CC has extended warranty. If not then it doesn't matter.
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Sim free is just the technical specification for a completely unlocked phone that was ever linked to any carrier. Some people insist that sim free is the truly unlocked phone, so that is why I used that technology.

Yes, if your credit card covers warranty that is a swell option. I got $200 off a 128gb device through payment plans (T-Mobile promo), so I went that route. But my response was more directed towards the statement that monthly payment are "for cars and houses". If you're doing payments because you're broke, yeah, bad idea. Not everyone that makes payments is doing it because they can't afford to do otherwise and I just hate when others imply that to be the case.
 
I have a question I started a contacted back on sept 23 2014 I check AT&T upgrades and my lines eligible for AT&T next upgrade does that mean I can upgrade early without any issue
 
Alexrat1996 said:
I have a question I started a contacted back on sept 23 2014 I check AT&T upgrades and my lines eligible for AT&T next upgrade does that mean I can upgrade early without any issue
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There are no contracts and are no early upgrades anymore. If you are eligible for a Next upgrade then you can upgrade through AT&T and pay for your phone monthly.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
There are no contracts and are no early upgrades anymore. If you are eligible for a Next upgrade then you can upgrade through AT&T and pay for your phone monthly.
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It's says Elgible for AT&T next upgrade does that mean I can upgrade to next plan via the Apple Store iOS app and so I don't have to wait till the contract ends since they don't have it anymore and start the next plan
 
Alexrat1996 said:
It's says Elgible for AT&T next upgrade does that mean I can upgrade to next plan via the Apple Store iOS app and so I don't have to wait till the contract ends since they don't have it anymore and start the next plan
Click to expand...

If it says you are eligible then yes, you can upgrade via Apple.com, AT&T's website or the iOS App.
 
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