Carrier AT&T Next vs. Apple iPhone Upgrade Program

[mcdj]

If you plan on upgrading every 12 months, then AUP is the better deal. With it, Apple Care is practically free.

For a 128GB iPhone 6S/7:

(6S) AT&T Next = $35.43/month
(7) Apple Upgrade = $36.58/month

(*UPDATE* this math is incorrect...the 6S price has dropped by $100 since last year)

With both programs, you turn in the phone at the end of 12 months and get a new one. The only difference is, for the 12 month period, with Apple's plan, you get an unlocked phone with Apple Care for a $14 total difference in price.

If you like to travel and buy a local SIM card to avoid your carrier's crazy data roaming fees, Apple's plan is a no brainer.

 

[richard371]

Just chatted with Apple and this was their response:


Now Chatting with Bobbi

Hello and thank you for chatting on the Apple Online Store! My name is Bobbi and I am happy and ready to help! How are you doing today?

If I choose the Apple upgrade payment plan tonight when ordering the 7 can it be shipped to me or do I have to go into a store

I know in the past you had to go into the store

It depends, do you already have a carrier account with Verizon, Sprint, TMobile or AT&T? It has to be done with one of those four carriers.

I have ATT

and I usually use the next plan with att but would like to try the apple upgrade plan

but Id like to order it tonight and have it shipped to me

Sure, as long as you already have an account and have your account information, you can order it online and have it shipped. You would only have to go into a store if you needed to start a new account with AT&T.

And that s using the apple upgrade plan. I just apply for it tonight when I order the phone


Correct! You will also need a valid US credit card to sign up for that.

Great thanks.

You just want to make sure you select the Upgrade Program when going through the process of ordering this evening

No problem! My pleasure to help!

It will probably be on the website as soon as it goes live tonight.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Just chatted with Apple and this was their response:


Now Chatting with Bobbi

Hello and thank you for chatting on the Apple Online Store! My name is Bobbi and I am happy and ready to help! How are you doing today?

If I choose the Apple upgrade payment plan tonight when ordering the 7 can it be shipped to me or do I have to go into a store

I know in the past you had to go into the store

It depends, do you already have a carrier account with Verizon, Sprint, TMobile or AT&T? It has to be done with one of those four carriers.

I have ATT

and I usually use the next plan with att but would like to try the apple upgrade plan

but Id like to order it tonight and have it shipped to me

Sure, as long as you already have an account and have your account information, you can order it online and have it shipped. You would only have to go into a store if you needed to start a new account with AT&T.

And that s using the apple upgrade plan. I just apply for it tonight when I order the phone


Correct! You will also need a valid US credit card to sign up for that.

Great thanks.

You just want to make sure you select the Upgrade Program when going through the process of ordering this evening

No problem! My pleasure to help!

Awesome. Great for all those that are starting the IUP. I believe I have to go in because I am trading in from the program last year. At least thats what my Apple Store app says.

 

[Travisimo]

I'm tempted to do the iPhone Upgrade Program, and I don't mind having a credit check. However, I have a rolling fraud alert on my credit report because of leaked personal information. This requires extra verification when doing anything that involves a credit check. With the hustle bustle of tonight's preorder, I am hesitant to use this option since it'll probably require a phone call for the extra verification. I'm thinking either 1) it just won't work through Apple's website, or 2) it'll take so long that my preorder will not go through until it's too late.

Has anyone here done the IUP through Apple with a fraud alert on their credit report? I assume the extra verification will have to be done by Citizen's Bank and I don't know if that would be instantaneous or if it might delay my order. I'm probably better off just using AT&T Next.

 

[HiItsMe]

If you plan on upgrading every 12 months, then AUP is the better deal. With it, Apple Care is practically free.

For a 128GB iPhone 6S/7:

(6S) AT&T Next = $35.43/month
(7) Apple Upgrade = $36.58/month

With both programs, you turn in the phone at the end of 12 months and get a new one. The only difference is, for the 12 month period, with Apple's plan, you get an unlocked phone with Apple Care for a $14 total difference in price.

If you like to travel and buy a local SIM card to avoid your carrier's crazy data roaming fees, Apple's plan is a no brainer.

Unfortunately you are comparing payments for an $850 phone vs a $750 phone. If you use two identically priced phones, you will find that you are paying for AppleCare and not getting it for free.

ETA for a $750 phone

AT&T Next is $31.25/month
Apple Upgrade is $36.58/month

So you pay almost $64 for AppleCare for the year. Not bad but still much more than $14 :/

 

[Mlrollin91]

Unfortunately you are comparing payments for an $850 phone vs a $750 phone. If you use two identically priced phones, you will find that you are paying for AppleCare and not getting it for free.

On the old AT&T Next 20 month, it was essentially getting AppleCare+ for free if you upgraded without a doubt.

It use to be:
64GB iPhone 6s ($749)

Next: $37.45 X 12 (of 20) = $449.40
IUP: $36.58 X 12 (of 24) = $438.96 and this included AppleCare+

Because AT&T decided to change the Next plan up, it ruined this savings. But for this past year I saved $10.50~ and got AC+ for free because I chose IUP instead of Next.

 

[medenblik]

So if I pay full price tonight using the apple app. Will I be able to get it shipped? Or will I have to do in store pickup?

 

[humpstyles]

EDIT:

Ah, screw it.

Determined that I'll be doing AT&T Next Every Year through Apple.com, and then most likely adding AT&T's Mobile Insurance later on since it is not available for selection via Apple's order process, but makes more sense than getting AC.

I'll say that again, and this is extremely situational, but:

iUP benefits most from AppleCare.
AT&T Next12 benefits most from Mobile Insurance.
AT&T Next24 benefits slightly more from AppleCare.

 

[NewdestinyX]

I think you are getting Mobile Share and Next confused. Next is the upgrade plan, has nothing to do with your service itself.

Yes. Mendenblik is a good friend of mine.. He just mixed up the terms.. He'd be moving from 2yrContract/individual line data coverages.. to Mobile Shared on the 23rd since it will save him $.. or so the ATT rep says.. LOL..

Mendenblik - you had what.... 2 Unlimited lines and a couple of 2Gb lines when you were under 2 year contract this last year?

 

[Mlrollin91]

So if I pay full price tonight using the apple app. Will I be able to get it shipped? Or will I have to do in store pickup?

If you pay full price you can have it shipped, just like any other year.

 

[NightStorm]

What would the best course of action if I wanted to move my wife from the AT&T Next plan she currently has on her iPhone 6S to the Apple Upgrade Program?

 

[mcdj]

Unfortunately you are comparing payments for an $850 phone vs a $750 phone. If you use two identically priced phones, you will find that you are paying for AppleCare and not getting it for free.

Crap, you are correct, although it's actually $750/$650. I didn't realize they dropped the 6S price. Well, for those (like me) who are currently on AT&T Next with a 6S from LAST year, and currently paying off a 6S at LAST year's price, switching over to AUP for the 7 will be like getting Apple Care for free.

And again, if you want an unlocked phone for travel, it's a no brainer.

 

[Mlrollin91]

What would the best course of action if I wanted to move my wife from the AT&T Next plan she currently has on her iPhone 6S to the Apple Upgrade Program?

You can pay off AT&T Next and own the phone, then sell the 6s to recoup what you had to pay off.

You can keep the AT&T Next plan and continue to pay the remainder monthly and own the device + pay Apple for the IUP.

You have a couple of options to tinker around with.

 

[NewdestinyX]

This thread has been very informative. Can always come to MR to get all the best most thorough answers.. So riddle me this - gurus of all things upgrade -... I just paid off my last two NEXT installments for my 6SPlus I've had for 2016. At ATT website they say I'm eligible now for a new phone on NEXT... IF I RETURN PHONE... Great.. ...

Let's say after reading all this I'm wanting to move to APPLE IUP for my 7+.... I'm sorta in limbo.. ATT is waiting for me to order with them tonight and then return my old phone.. Can I just send that baby back in next 10 days.. and NOT order with them tonight.. and move over to IUP???? Will I owe more to ATT than the sum of my 12 payments made on NEXT12? (which is really calculated over 20 months).. Or if I don't order from ATT tonight - will I owe them more payments up to 20?..

 

[Mlrollin91]

This thread has been very informative. Can always come to MR to get all the best most thorough answers.. So riddle me this - gurus of all things upgrade -... I just paid off my last two NEXT installments for my 6SPlus I've had for 2016. At ATT website they say I'm eligible now for a new phone on NEXT... IF I RETURN PHONE... Great.. ...

Let's say after reading all this I'm wanting to move to APPLE IUP for my 7+.... I'm sorta in limbo.. ATT is waiting for me to order with them tonight and then return my old phone.. Can I just send that baby back in next 10 days.. and NOT order with them tonight.. and move over to IUP???? Will I owe more to ATT than the sum of my 12 payments made on NEXT12? (which is really calculated over 20 months).. Or if I don't order from ATT tonight - will I owe them more payments up to 20?..

You must pay off the phone via AT&T Next. Either up front or continue to make monthly payments on the phone. Either way you will eventually own the phone and you can sell it to recoup the costs of paying it off. You can join IUP independent of AT&T. So you can being paying both AT&T for your 6sPlus and Apple for your iPhone 7 at the same time. But ultimately, you must pay off AT&T. You can't just send it back and have them forgive the rest of the loan. I was in this boat last year.

 

[HiItsMe]

You must pay off the phone via AT&T Next. Either up front or continue to make monthly payments on the phone. Either way you will eventually own the phone and you can sell it to recoup the costs of paying it off. You can join IUP independent of AT&T. So you can being paying both AT&T for your 6sPlus and Apple for your iPhone 7 at the same time. But ultimately, you must pay off AT&T. You can't just send it back and have them forgive the rest of the loan. I was in this boat last year.

But if he gets the iPhone 7 through the AT&T Next, he COULD send the 6s back and pay no more for it, correct? Isn't that the point of Next Every Year? Nevermind, I reread and understand his question now.

 

[mcdj]

This thread has been very informative. Can always come to MR to get all the best most thorough answers.. So riddle me this - gurus of all things upgrade -... I just paid off my last two NEXT installments for my 6SPlus I've had for 2016. At ATT website they say I'm eligible now for a new phone on NEXT... IF I RETURN PHONE... Great.. ...

Let's say after reading all this I'm wanting to move to APPLE IUP for my 7+.... I'm sorta in limbo.. ATT is waiting for me to order with them tonight and then return my old phone.. Can I just send that baby back in next 10 days.. and NOT order with them tonight.. and move over to IUP???? Will I owe more to ATT than the sum of my 12 payments made on NEXT12? (which is really calculated over 20 months).. Or if I don't order from ATT tonight - will I owe them more payments up to 20?..

When you upgrade with AT&T, you don't send them the old phone first. They send you the new phone, then you send in the old one. You're on the hook for the cost of both until they get the old one back. If you decide to go with AUP, AT&T doesn't want/won't accept your old phone. You need to pay it off.

Apple might take the phone in trade, but you will take a bath on the payout. I think their max is $250.

 

[Mlrollin91]

But if he gets the iPhone 7 through the AT&T Next, he COULD send the 6s back and pay no more for it, correct? Isn't that the point of Next Every Year?

Yes. But he/she wants to move to IUP. So the only way to move to IUP would do either of the two scenarios I mentioned. Both ultimately require AT&T being paid off and you own the device.

 

[Razorhog]

This thread has been very informative. Can always come to MR to get all the best most thorough answers.. So riddle me this - gurus of all things upgrade -... I just paid off my last two NEXT installments for my 6SPlus I've had for 2016. At ATT website they say I'm eligible now for a new phone on NEXT... IF I RETURN PHONE... Great.. ...

Let's say after reading all this I'm wanting to move to APPLE IUP for my 7+.... I'm sorta in limbo.. ATT is waiting for me to order with them tonight and then return my old phone.. Can I just send that baby back in next 10 days.. and NOT order with them tonight.. and move over to IUP???? Will I owe more to ATT than the sum of my 12 payments made on NEXT12? (which is really calculated over 20 months).. Or if I don't order from ATT tonight - will I owe them more payments up to 20?..

I paid off my phone's last NEXT installment and it took overnight before AT&T's website to say I was eligible for upgrade without trade in.

 

[steve knight]

I am glad I paid off our phones both had some remaining. but the problem was one of them I bought a galaxy s6 and when I went to pay the remaining the att software would not let me and was showing returning the 6+ thats used on that line now. I had to call and got them paid off.
64 gigs was the sweet spot for me so getting 128 is a it much

 

[NewdestinyX]

You must pay off the phone via AT&T Next. Either up front or continue to make monthly payments on the phone. Either way you will eventually own the phone and you can sell it to recoup the costs of paying it off. You can join IUP independent of AT&T. So you can being paying both AT&T for your 6sPlus and Apple for your iPhone 7 at the same time. But ultimately, you must pay off AT&T. You can't just send it back and have them forgive the rest of the loan. I was in this boat last year.

Aha.. Okay.. That makes sense... I was thinking it would be easier.. But it totally makes sense that AT&T would only let you send phone back is you would be getting new NEXT phone with them... Thanks!

When you upgrade with AT&T, you don't send them the old phone first. They send you the new phone, then you send in the old one. You're on the hook for the cost of both until they get the old one back. If you decide to go with AUP, AT&T doesn't want/won't accept your old phone. You need to pay it off.

Apple might take the phone in trade, but you will take a bath on the payout. I think their max is $250.

Yep. Thanks.. Makes total sense. I was being a dreamer. LOL.. I've sold many a phone on eBAY for WAY more than I bought it.. It's just a hassle.. I may do that.. But NOTHING stops me from moving to Apple IUP tonight for my 7+.. right?

I paid off my phone's last NEXT installment and it took overnight before AT&T's website to say I was eligible for upgrade without trade in.

Not for me. Just did it an hour ago.. Immediately after logging out and back into my account.. It showed I was eligible for upgrade tonight.. on a new NEXT 12 if I want.

 

[Razorhog]

I went to Apple's site and went through the process of selecting the phone, color, carrier etc. I chose AT&T Next but it doesn't let me choose which Next plan. Only the 24 month. I thought it would let you choose between Next 30 and Next Every Year 24. Why must this be so confusing?

 

[keeganxt]

I don't think they've included that information yet, it's simply citing 12 or 24months for NEXT and the Mo/rate for the 24 as an example. Once the phones are available, i'm sure there will be more options/info on forthcoming screens.

 

[bsmith4832]

I buy an insurance policy on my phones through my home/auto insurance company, which is cheaper than buying one through AT&T.

...why have I never heard of anything like this? Looks like I'm off to call my home/auto insurance company to see if they offer anything like that too.

 

[Razorhog]

I don't think they've included that information yet, it's simply citing 12 or 24months for NEXT and the Mo/rate for the 24 as an example. Once the phones are available, i'm sure there will be more options/info on forthcoming screens.

Thanks, that does make sense.