iPhone Upgrade Program Experience Thread

[yota4by4]

Was you able to buy the sim free on the IUP?
BillMc

Yes, I did buy two iPhones, "sim free" on the Apple upgrade program.

 

[AndrewR23]

How did you do it?
BillMc

Okay so when you walk in, tell them you want sim free and for an employee that knows how to do it.

He/she should get the sealed iPhone and a separate sim card that looks like a credit card with a little nano sim pop out in the middle of it.

First they will scan the phone, have you input everything, then they scan the sim card. When you open the phone, you simply pop out the sim card and insert it into the phone. But you gotta find an employee that knows how. At my Apple store only a few knew how too. But its possible.

 

[yota4by4]

Okay so when you walk in, tell them you want sim free and for an employee that knows how to do it.

He/she should get the sealed iPhone and a separate sim card that looks like a credit card with a little nano sim pop out in the middle of it.

First they will scan the phone, have you input everything, then they scan the sim card. When you open the phone, you simply pop out the sim card and insert it into the phone. But you gotta find an employee that knows how. At my Apple store only a few knew how too. But its possible.

That's how it worked for me...

 

[BigMcGuire]

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My experience. My wife and I had 128GB 6+ iPhones on Verizon (completely paid off). I wanted a 6s+ and my wife did as well specifically for the iPhone Upgrade program. We arrived 30 minutes early at the local Apple store and were #1 in a line that grew to over 100 people before the store opened.

Once getting in the store, I was asked for my ID and a credit card (I gave my bank debit card that I use for credit card purchases all the time and was told it had to be a credit card - which I provided). I was asked if my current address matched my drivers license (it did not since we have moved), so I gave that to the Apple rep, after 10 mins of typing, I was told that I was going to be charged $12x for 3 months of payments. I agreed and 3 mins later the rep told me I was approved for a Citizens loan. 20 mins later we did the same thing for my wife's phone and I was approved again for the loan. These were HARD pulls on my credit (was notified by my identity protection today (lost wallet few years ago...)).

The longest time was spent activating the phones on Verizon - that took FOREVER. The Apple Rep reviewed both my wife's 6+ and my 6+ (went through the remove Find my IPhone) and credited $600 ($300 each) back to the same credit card I used for the loan.

The whole process took 1.3 hours. The Apple rep was SUPER SUPER nice, super helpful, super kind - best experience I've had at an Apple Store ever (and all my experience have been excellent).

I got 2 sets of emails from Citizen One bank - one saying I was applying for the loan, and one saying I was approved for the loan. Using the email link, my Chrome Browser refused to load the Citizen One signup page - so I had to use Safari, but eventually got my loan and my wife's phone's loan on my Citizen One account in seconds.

I was told that we will get an email asking if we want to upgrade every time an iPhone is released and we have the ability to pay the remaining payments to get the latest iPhone even if a year isn't up. If we choose to do this, a phone will be set aside at the store and we can just come in and pick it up automatically.
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QUESTION (Answered by post below?) - I am still not 100% clear on the $12x that I was charged twice (once for each phone) - I believe I remember the rep telling me that was 3 months payment (but $44.91 x3 is not $12x.xx)??? Do I get charged $44.91 next month or after 3 months? Does the $12x.xx get refunded after 3 months? Rep specifically said I could switch to any payment type I wanted after 3 months.
[doublepost=1462830076][/doublepost]

Same here. I'm up to 640-650 and continuing to work hard to get to 700 land.

I'm curious if mid 600's are approved. I was approved for AT&T Next but I think since I've been a customer for over 15 years that the credit score may not count as much.

I realize this is a little late to reply but I'm in that range (a tad higher) and I was accepted.
[doublepost=1462830153][/doublepost]

They just run an authorization for the amount of the first three months. Mine has already been charged and refunded.

Thank you, this answers my question above in my big post.

Edit: Actually, I think I figured out what the $12x.xx was. It's tax + first month's payment. But I'm not 100% certain. Could have sworn the rep said it was 3 month's payments.