Carrier How to buy iPhone 7+ on AT&T

[ATEspo]

Sorry for my lack of knowledge but when I bought my iPhone 6+ 2 years ago, they offered 2-year pricing (paid $499 I believe for my 128gb 6+).

Browsing Apple's site tonight to see the new iPhone and the pricing, I noticed no more 2-year pricing, but get 4 other options to buy the phone.

So it seems we can buy the phone "financed" through apple 2 ways (upgrade program or installments), through AT&T Next or buying it outright...

So what's the best way to go here?
I hate to finance my damn cell phone, but I don't want to drop close to $1100 before tax (that's just crazy), so that leaves me with 1 of 3 remaining options.

So my questions for you AT&T folk who have financed their phones in the past: how do you plan to do it? Go through apple or AT&T? If I choose the Apple upgrade program or installments, does that get added to my AT&T bill every month or is there a separate bill coming in every month?

Sorry for the questions, this whole financing of a cell phone is blowing my mind right now lol

 

[Oridus]

Sorry for my lack of knowledge but when I bought my iPhone 6+ 2 years ago, they offered 2-year pricing (paid $499 I believe for my 128gb 6+).

Browsing Apple's site tonight to see the new iPhone and the pricing, I noticed no more 2-year pricing, but get 4 other options to buy the phone.

So it seems we can buy the phone "financed" through apple 2 ways (upgrade program or installments), through AT&T Next or buying it outright...

So what's the best way to go here?
I hate to finance my damn cell phone, but I don't want to drop close to $1100 before tax (that's just crazy), so that leaves me with 1 of 3 remaining options.

So my questions for you AT&T folk who have financed their phones in the past: how do you plan to do it? Go through apple or AT&T? If I choose the Apple upgrade program or installments, does that get added to my AT&T bill every month or is there a separate bill coming in every month?

Sorry for the questions, this whole financing of a cell phone is blowing my mind right now lol

Apple upgrade program is billed to your CC interest free assuming you pay your balance off every month. AT&T Next is billed to your cell phone bill interest free.

 

[rKunda]

With att it should be added to your monthly bill. I have no Apple Store close so I'll be going to att. Or calling and trying to waive the fee.

 

[ATEspo]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Apple upgrade program is billed to your CC interest free assuming you pay your balance off every month. AT&T Next is billed to your cell phone bill interest free.

So preordering with one of the two Apple payment options, they will bill my CC for 24 months? What is this about paying off a balance every month?

One more question:
If I preorder with apple but choose the NEXT option, will I be able to go into the store and pick it up? I ordered my 6+ the day it was released (not preorder) and it took almost 2 months to arrive from AT&T so I will NOT be ordering with AT&T directly this time.

 

[Oridus]

Thanks for the quick replies.



So preordering with one of the two Apple payment options, they will bill my CC for 24 months? What is this about paying off a balance every month?

One more question:
If I preorder with apple but choose the NEXT option, will I be able to go into the store and pick it up? I ordered my 6+ the day it was released (not preorder) and it took almost 2 months to arrive from AT&T so I will NOT be ordering with AT&T directly this time.

Apple Upgrade program = Applecare Plus, and the ability to trade in your current iphone ever year, otherwise it's just 24 installments if you don't upgrade.
Apple Installments = no AppleCare plus, no ability to trade in every year, 24 installments.

If you pre-order but choose next, I'm pretty confident it should give you an in store pick up option, as you're able to do that non -pre order as well.

The balance pay off things was me referring to if you do apple upgrade program or apple installments. Citi bank, which is the lender Apple uses for their program, requires that you make the payments on a Credit Card. Therefor, if you don't pay off your Credit Card balance monthly, you're subject to interest on the monthly charge to the phone as well, where as you're guaranteed no interest on AT&T Next if you pay cash, check, or debit for your AT&T phone bill.

 

[ATEspo]

Apple Upgrade program = Applecare Plus, and the ability to trade in your current iphone ever year, otherwise it's just 24 installments if you don't upgrade.
Apple Installments = no AppleCare plus, no ability to trade in every year, 24 installments.

If you pre-order but choose next, I'm pretty confident it should give you an in store pick up option, as you're able to do that non -pre order as well.

The balance pay off things was me referring to if you do apple upgrade program or apple installments. Citi bank, which is the lender Apple uses for their program, requires that you make the payments on a Credit Card. Therefor, if you don't pay off your Credit Card balance monthly, you're subject to interest on the monthly charge to the phone as well, where as you're guaranteed no interest on AT&T Next if you pay cash, check, or debit for your AT&T phone bill.

I get it now, and I pay my CC off every month, but I understand people who don't WILL pay interest to their CC company for the monthly phone charge. Thank you for the explanation.
While browsing apple's site and reviewing the payment plans/options, it tells me the financing company for apples 2 optional plans are done through Citizens (not that it matters).

I guess I have a day or so to decide what way I want to go.

What's everyone else on AT&T doing?

 

[Oridus]

I get it now, and I pay my CC off every month, but I understand people who don't WILL pay interest to their CC company for the monthly phone charge. Thank you for the explanation.
While browsing apple's site and reviewing the payment plans/options, it tells me the financing company for apples 2 optional plans are done through Citizens (not that it matters).

I guess I have a day or so to decide what way I want to go.

What's everyone else on AT&T doing?

My error on the Citibank vs Citizens. Good catch. I don't use either nor am I familiar so I'm sure I just confused the two.

I'm on AT&T, and I'll be going with Next because in the end it's a wash in terms of overall cost for me, and in my particular situation, I have AT&T family insurance... which breaks down to be cheaper than apple care for me.

 

[ATEspo]

My error on the Citibank vs Citizens. Good catch. I don't use either nor am I familiar so I'm sure I just confused the two.

I'm on AT&T, and I'll be going with Next because in the end it's a wash in terms of overall cost for me, and in my particular situation, I have AT&T family insurance... which breaks down to be cheaper than apple care for me.

My wife and I took advantage of AppleCare with our 6+'s so I HAVE to get it again.

What's this AT&T family insurance all about now?

 

[Oridus]

My wife and I took advantage of AppleCare with our 6+'s so I HAVE to get it again.

What's this AT&T family insurance all about now?

It's $30/mo that covers the devices in the group (Max of a group of 10). You get six shared claims within that group. Three devices can be registered once. Example:

Device that the $30/mo gets put on, is the first registered device. Device 2 gets water damage. When that device gets a claim made, that's the second registered device. Device 3 gets stole, gets a claim. That's now a 3rd registered device. You can have three devices registered. If a fourth device gets damaged or stolen, then it can be claimed, however you need to "de-register" one of the registered devices. Once a registered device gets deregistered, that line cannot have a claim on it again until that line purchases a new phone with a new serial number. If a registered device remains registered, it can use any to all of the 6 shared claims on the plan.

Deductibles go from $225-112 for iPhones, declining 25% then 50% after 6 or 12 months without a claim. This is a group declining deductible, meaning if a claim is made, the deductibles reset for the entire group.

AT&T Insurance covers lost / stolen / phys dmg / water dmg / out of warranty malfunction.

For me personally, I have a bunch of other family on my plan so they pay a majority of the $30/mo... meaning that since I upgrade every year, it's technically cheaper for me to go with insurance.... and in the OFF chance that a claim needs to be made, it'll still be a helluva lot cheaper than full retail, and at MAX only $125 more than an Apple Care deductible (for major damage). Only downside is AC+ has screen replacement at only $29 if it's only the screen that's damaged, whereas the AT&T insurance you have to go with the full deductible. That being said, I usually rock a glass screen protector... so chances are SLIM that I break the screen...

 

[ATEspo]

It's $30/mo that covers the devices in the group (Max of a group of 10). You get six shared claims within that group. Three devices can be registered once. Example:

Device that the $30/mo gets put on, is the first registered device. Device 2 gets water damage. When that device gets a claim made, that's the second registered device. Device 3 gets stole, gets a claim. That's now a 3rd registered device. You can have three devices registered. If a fourth device gets damaged or stolen, then it can be claimed, however you need to "de-register" one of the registered devices. Once a registered device gets deregistered, that line cannot have a claim on it again until that line purchases a new phone with a new serial number. If a registered device remains registered, it can use any to all of the 6 shared claims on the plan.

Deductibles go from $225-112 for iPhones, declining 25% then 50% after 6 or 12 months without a claim. This is a group declining deductible, meaning if a claim is made, the deductibles reset for the entire group.

AT&T Insurance covers lost / stolen / phys dmg / water dmg / out of warranty malfunction.

For me personally, I have a bunch of other family on my plan so they pay a majority of the $30/mo... meaning that since I upgrade every year, it's technically cheaper for me to go with insurance.... and in the OFF chance that a claim needs to be made, it'll still be a helluva lot cheaper than full retail, and at MAX only $125 more than an Apple Care deductible (for major damage). Only downside is AC+ has screen replacement at only $29 if it's only the screen that's damaged, whereas the AT&T insurance you have to go with the full deductible. That being said, I usually rock a glass screen protector... so chances are SLIM that I break the screen...

Understandable, again, thanks for the reply and explanation.
I am going to stick with AC, I used all my claims in 2 years PLUS 2 screen replacements