Buying a contract-free phone on preorder

[HenryAZ]

Assuming I want to purchase the 6s outright, and I am not currently under contract with Verizon (or won't be by the 23rd, but I am eligible for an "upgrade" price)...

When I browse the Apple Store in Safari, I can walk through the process of ordering a new 6s. To view pricing, you have to input a carrier, and there is no option for a contract-free phone, though I can buy a Verizon phone outright.

When I browse the Apple Store app on my iPhone, I can walk through the process of ordering a new 6s, and when I select "View Pricing, select my color and storage options, I reach a point with three options
1. replace this iPhone on my Verizon account
2. replace another phone on an existing carrier account
3. buy a contract-free iPhone

Seems like the phone app provides the better choice, of getting the contract-free phone. I wonder why it is not so on the online store?

Is the contract-free better than the Verizon, which is unlocked anyway?

 

[secretanchitman]

I did the same thing with Sprint last night on the website and was surprised myself. It turns out with the 6S today, the website changed so that you can buy the phone device only/full price on the website now. If you go to http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone6s and after you pick your color, carrier, capacity, you'll see that you can do 2 year contract of pay in full/device only.

 

[HenryAZ]

I did the same thing with Sprint last night on the website and was surprised myself. It turns out with the 6S today, the website changed so that you can buy the phone device only/full price on the website now. If you go to http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone6s and after you pick your color, carrier, capacity, you'll see that you can do 2 year contract of pay in full/device only.

Yeah, that what (I thought) I said above. At the online store, they let you buy at full price if you want, but you first have to pick a carrier.

Using the iPhone app (the Apple Store app on the phone), you get an additional choice of buying a "contract-free" phone for full price. I was wondering why the different options in the two places, and is the contract-free the better option to have. I'll be using it primarily on Verizon at any rate.

 

[glowrider]

Just get the verizon version full price. It won't be locked.

 

[D.T.]

I was wondering why the different options in the two places, and is the contract-free the better option to have. I'll be using it primarily on Verizon at any rate.

See my recent post on this subject, I'm mulling over the same. FYI, Verizon will discount your device fee (the $40/per) once you're off contract, the exact amount is based on your plan, but it's $15 or $25 / per device (unless this has changed, I can't keep up with their plans/pricing shenanigans ...) On a plan with 2 or 3 devices, that's a solid savings (the cost of at least one device outright if projected out over 24 months!)

I wonder if I should switch to a Verizon Plan 6GB, from our More Everything 8GB[?]

 

[duaneu]

It looks like if you select contract free, that only gets you the T-Mobile models.