Help with IUP iphone 7 plus

[LRXSE7EN]

Hello. I'm interested in getting an iphone 7 but as you know carriers don't carry ****. However there are some 7+'s available in my city in the Apple store. I'm not prepared to pay full price up front, I am willing to pay monthly though.

So before I do this I just wanted to ask some questions:

1. How high does your credit score need to be before even applying? I read that you need some decent credit, and some people even claimed that they were approved even with a below average score, my score is 666 right now "average" (Speak of the devil, literally LOL)

2. apparently people are saying that they take your card and swipe it during this process. when they swipe your card, are they seeing if you have enough to cover full price or just to check your credit?

3. even after all of this, is there a upfront cost you need to cough up? or just the taxes of the phone?

4. Do I need to activate a data plan or can I just take the phone? I've read somewhere that you have to activate the phone in-store which required some people to open an account with the specific carrier but then close it right away just to get the process over with.

 

[SisterBlue22]

Hello. I'm interested in getting an iphone 7 but as you know carriers don't carry ****. However there are some 7+'s available in my city in the Apple store. I'm not prepared to pay full price up front, I am willing to pay monthly though.

So before I do this I just wanted to ask some questions:

1. How high does your credit score need to be before even applying? I read that you need some decent credit, and some people even claimed that they were approved even with a below average score, my score is 666 right now "average" (Speak of the devil, literally LOL)

2. apparently people are saying that they take your card and swipe it during this process. when they swipe your card, are they seeing if you have enough to cover full price or just to check your credit?

3. even after all of this, is there a upfront cost you need to cough up? or just the taxes of the phone?

4. Do I need to activate a data plan or can I just take the phone? I've read somewhere that you have to activate the phone in-store which required some people to open an account with the specific carrier but then close it right away just to get the process over with.

1. It varied widely last year. People in the low 600's were being approved, and many over 700 were being denied. It was weird. I think you'll be fine with a 666.

2. They cannot "check your credit" by swiping a credit card. That's done with your social security number. They swipe your credit card because the first payment plus all the taxes are due at the time of approval.

3. See my answer to #2

4. Last year, again, there were different experiences. Most of us were forced to activate the phone on an existing plan at the time of purchase, but many also reported being able to walk out the door with the phone still sealed.

Keep in mind that Apple has TWO payment plans this year. The Apple Upgrade Program, which started last year, which includes AppleCare and gives you a trade-in/upgrade option after 12 payments, and you own the phone outright after 24 payments. They also offer an "installment plan", which is an interest free plan with 24 payments, does NOT include AppleCare, and does NOT offer a trade-in/upgrade after 12 payments.

 

[LRXSE7EN]

1. It varied widely last year. People in the low 600's were being approved, and many over 700 were being denied. It was weird. I think you'll be fine with a 666.

2. They cannot "check your credit" by swiping a credit card. That's done with your social security number. They swipe your credit card because the first payment plus all the taxes are due at the time of approval.

3. See my answer to #2

4. Last year, again, there were different experiences. Most of us were forced to activate the phone on an existing plan at the time of purchase, but many also reported being able to walk out the door with the phone still sealed.

Keep in mind that Apple has TWO payment plans this year. The Apple Upgrade Program, which started last year, which includes AppleCare and gives you a trade-in/upgrade option after 12 payments, and you own the phone outright after 12 payments. They also offer an "installment plan", which is an interest free plan with 24 payments, does NOT include AppleCare, and does NOT offer a trade-in/upgrade after 12 payments.

I see. thank you very much for enlightening me, I couldn't find direct answers anywhere. I'm only 19 and I just started my credit history this year (July I believe). Also a few people on this forum have been posting saying that the credit checks are heavy. Bracket or no bracket, I wouldn't want my credit score to decrease and find out that I'm not even approved. I have JOD with T-Mobile but as we're all aware carrier locations are the last place to look at this point.

 

[LaidBack]

Keep in mind that Apple has TWO payment plans this year. The Apple Upgrade Program, which started last year, which includes AppleCare and gives you a trade-in/upgrade option after 12 payments, and you own the phone outright after 12 more payments. They also offer an "installment plan", which is an interest free plan with 24 payments, does NOT include AppleCare, and does NOT offer a trade-in/upgrade after 12 payments.

I think the compare payment options screen is helpful once you have chosen a phone model.

 

[SisterBlue22]

I see. thank you very much for enlightening me, I couldn't find direct answers anywhere. I'm only 19 and I just started my credit history this year (July I believe). Also a few people on this forum have been posting saying that the credit checks are heavy. Bracket or no bracket, I wouldn't want my credit score to decrease and find out that I'm not even approved. I have JOD with T-Mobile but as we're all aware carrier locations are the last place to look at this point.

Happy to help! My son is also 19, and also working to establish credit. I'm glad to see young people taking it seriously!

 

[Xenden]

Mine is in the high 500's to low 600's. (My score through Discover card says 589 right now.) I was approved 3 times in 8 days. Once for my phone and my brother's phone, and once more yesterday when i returned my gold 7+ and got a Jet Black 7+.

I'm wondering if i was approved based on perfect payment history from last year's IUP. Last year my score was 630-640.

edit:

Both last year and this year we walked out with sealed iPhone boxes. They were activated on Verizon at the time of purchase on Apple's end, but the store rep did not open the boxes to activate them.

 

[leesweet]

1. It varied widely last year. People in the low 600's were being approved, and many over 700 were being denied. It was weird. I think you'll be fine with a 666.

2. They cannot "check your credit" by swiping a credit card. That's done with your social security number. They swipe your credit card because the first payment plus all the taxes are due at the time of approval.

3. See my answer to #2

4. Last year, again, there were different experiences. Most of us were forced to activate the phone on an existing plan at the time of purchase, but many also reported being able to walk out the door with the phone still sealed.

Keep in mind that Apple has TWO payment plans this year. The Apple Upgrade Program, which started last year, which includes AppleCare and gives you a trade-in/upgrade option after 12 payments, and you own the phone outright after 12 payments. They also offer an "installment plan", which is an interest free plan with 24 payments, does NOT include AppleCare, and does NOT offer a trade-in/upgrade after 12 payments.

The 'Apple Upgrade Program' is the 'iPhone Upgrade Program' and it's 24 payments until it's paid off and you own it. After 12 payments you can upgrade, the loan will be cancelled because you traded in the old phone, and you have a new loan for the new phone.

 

[SisterBlue22]

The 'Apple Upgrade Program' is the 'iPhone Upgrade Program' and it's 24 payments until it's paid off and you own it. After 12 payments you can upgrade, the loan will be cancelled because you traded in the old phone, and you have a new loan for the new phone.

Not sure what your point is of quoting me? I already know all this, and I was responding to the OP. I called it the Apple Upgrade Program and you called it the iPhone Upgrade Program, but otherwise, what you wrote is pretty much exactly what I posted. EDIT to add that I just caught the typo in my original post, which I fixed....you own the phone outright after 24 payments, not 12. My apologies.

And officially, it's called the Apple iPhone Upgrade Program, so we're both right.