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Best Option to switch from 4S to next New iPhone?

J

jason2811

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 8, 2006
729
2
I bought a 4S last September on Verizon with a 2-year contract. I'd like to buy the new iPhone in September or October or whenever it is released. I want to know the easiest and most cost effective way to do this? I narrowed down several options but I wanted to know which people recommended. Thanks.

1) Break my current contract after one year and pay the early termination fee. I assume it would be $175 then sell my current 4S. I'm unsure whether this would prevent me from buying a new iPhone via pre-order from Apple the day they begin taking preorders.

2) Add a secondary line to my current line and put the new iPhone on that line. Switch my current over to the new iPhone after a few days.

3) Sell my current 4S a few days before the new iPhone goes on sale. Buy the new iPhone for full price. Is it possible to buy an iPhone for full price via preorder on the Apple website?

Thanks!
 
Do an early upgrade. You will be paying $200 extra.
Let's say the 16GB is $199.99 with 2years contract, the new iPhone for you will be $399.99 #ONLY if Verizon grants you with the early upgrade. Call Verizon and ask them.
 
xRYD3Rx said:
Do an early upgrade. You will be paying $200 extra.
Let's say the 16GB is $199.99 with 2years contract, the new iPhone for you will be $399.99 #ONLY if Verizon grants you with the early upgrade. Call Verizon and ask them.
Click to expand...

Is this a common occurrence? Why would they grant an early upgrade?
 
I'm thinking of the same thing and I'm not sure if Verizon grants early upgrades after only a year...

I'm planning on acquiring a ****** phone to hold in place while my 4S is sold before the announcement (for maximum profit).

Then once the new iPhone comes out, I'll just buy it for full price and replace the ****** phone.

The way I see it is that a 4S in the summer (September since the announcement will probably be in October) will sell around $500 for a 64GB w/ Applecare. Maybe even more if you get it unlocked for international use by Verizon. That should pay a lot of the difference for a new iPhone.
 
KJmoon117 said:
I'm thinking of the same thing and I'm not sure if Verizon grants early upgrades after only a year...

I'm planning on acquiring a ****** phone to hold in place while my 4S is sold before the announcement (for maximum profit).

Then once the new iPhone comes out, I'll just buy it for full price and replace the ****** phone.

The way I see it is that a 4S in the summer (September since the announcement will probably be in October) will sell around $500 for a 64GB w/ Applecare. Maybe even more if you get it unlocked for international use by Verizon. That should pay a lot of the difference for a new iPhone.
Click to expand...

I'll probably do the same. However, I don't think it's possible to pre-order an iPhone for full price prior to release day. Actually, I don't think it's even possible to buy an iPhone for full price until a few weeks after release day. I'm pretty sure that's how it was last year with the 4S.

If anyone can confirm how it was last year, let me know please. Thanks.
 
I think you can pre-order it, but you don't get any subsidies.

The problem is that you can't buy an unlocked iPhone until weeks later because the carriers get first dibs.
 
Early upgrade or just break the contract.

Why would you do #3? You'd loose your phone number...
 
Raegor said:
Early upgrade or just break the contract.

Why would you do #3? You'd loose your phone number...
Click to expand...

You don't lose your number if you sell your device. It's still tied to your account with your carrier.

OP: I'd personally try selling it a week or so before the new comes out. If you need a phone, get a prepaid to use for the short time.
 
jason2811 said:
Is this a common occurrence? Why would they grant an early upgrade?
Click to expand...

Verizon won't do an early upgrade for the iphone. They'll do it for any other phone in their line up, but not the iphone. They have told me, consistently, that Apple calls the shots on when upgrades are allowed and that early upgrades are strictly forbidden by Apple. Don't know if the Apple part is true or not, but VZW will not allow an early upgrade for an iphone. I know, I've tried at least a half dozen times and always gotten the same answer.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Does anyone know if it's possible to buy an iPhone for full price from Apple during the pre-order period? Anyone here able to do this when buying the 4S last year?
 
Rufuss Sewell said:
That's weird. I'm on AT&T and they let me upgrade my iPhone every year no problem. I've had the 3g, 3gs, 4 and 4s with no fees.
Click to expand...

With a single account? Not possible unless you know something the general public doesn't. 2 year plan, sometimes early upgrade. I upgrade every year as well, but every other one is full price. Can you let us in on your secret?
 
JMG said:
With a single account? Not possible unless you know something the general public doesn't. 2 year plan, sometimes early upgrade. I upgrade every year as well, but every other one is full price. Can you let us in on your secret?
Click to expand...

ATT lets customers upgrade early for iPhones, but they tack on an extra $200 on whichever iPhone model and a 2 yr contract
 
KJmoon117 said:
I'm thinking of the same thing and I'm not sure if Verizon grants early upgrades after only a year...

I'm planning on acquiring a ****** phone to hold in place while my 4S is sold before the announcement (for maximum profit).

Then once the new iPhone comes out, I'll just buy it for full price and replace the ****** phone.

The way I see it is that a 4S in the summer (September since the announcement will probably be in October) will sell around $500 for a 64GB w/ Applecare. Maybe even more if you get it unlocked for international use by Verizon. That should pay a lot of the difference for a new iPhone.
Click to expand...

I've gotten about 3 or 4 early upgrades with Verizon, but they couldn't/wouldn't budge when I wanted an upgrade for the iphone 4s. They said that Verizon's "agreement with Apple" does not allow such modifications to current contracts, so there was no wiggling around. But they did make very decent offers on the various Androids if I were interested. Sorry to say, you won't get an early upgrade for an iphone.
 
Carl G35c said:
ATT lets customers upgrade early for iPhones, but they tack on an extra $200 on whichever iPhone model and a 2 yr contract
Click to expand...

Yeah I know but the poster made it sound like he got the full discount.
 
jason2811 said:
1) Break my current contract after one year and pay the early termination fee. I assume it would be $175 then sell my current 4S. I'm unsure whether this would prevent me from buying a new iPhone via pre-order from Apple the day they begin taking preorders.
Click to expand...

Your ETF would be $230-$240. It starts at $350 and drops $10 for each month of service. The phone didn't come out until October so I would figure on the $240.
 
I would check that cancellation fee. Att upped theirs to $375 a few years back. Like someone else said, att also let's you upgrade to a new iPhone for $400ish so people don't do the whole cancel and resign. Check with vzw
 
I bought my 4S in December off contract for ~£470, when the new one drops, I'll sell mine for ~£350 and put the difference, pop to Apple and get the new one from them SIM free, and carry on using my £12/mo O2 contract.

Not sure if you can do that in the US though ..
 
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