iPhone Upgrade Program [MERGED]

[JPIndustrie]

I've been doing my research on this program and needless to say I would not recommend it for the 'hardcore' Apple fan that will need/want the device ASAP.

$$$ is still king and getting in line to buy an all out T-Mo example come the 12th is still, IMO the recommended method.

Also, from what I read an "iPhone activation" is also required with one of the 4 major carriers so I would bet my $$ on these being the same carrier-specific stock as before, not the unlocked/sim free versions (these are apple employees, not carrier employees - scan and go is the game) and those on prepaid or on company accounts are out of luck.

This plan is for regular joe and jane who's 2 year contract is due to run out eventually but not in sept/oct and once stock is plentiful. If you need to have it day 1 (like me) cash will talk the loudest unfortunately.

 

[AndrewR23]

Oh I guess at midnight you reserve it. I'm in China until end of September. Hopefully I can reserve a spot later in the month.

 

[kybldmstr]

Not worth it. I always sell my phone and make more $$ than the new phone purchase. Iphones pay for themselves if you sell each year and not wait for them to age.

Where do you sell?

 

[trife]

This is tempting because of the AppleCare+ rolled into the payment, but I'll stick with Jump on Demand. Glad I locked in my discounted rates for the 6S/6S+ when I did. $15 and $19/month ftw.

 

[Blujelly]

This is tempting because of the AppleCare+ rolled into the payment, but I'll stick with Jump on Demand. Glad I locked in my discounted rates for the 6S/6S+ when I did. $15 and $19/month ftw.

I'm also tempted I'm already on a SIM only plan with my carrier, so doing this makes sense to me.

The only thing I want to know is do the monthly plans increase with every new iPhone?

 

[mookgiants]

I wonder how we're going to get taxed on this. Up front or added each month to the payment. I can't imagine it's going to be included already in that price quoted on the website

 

[cousintim]

Technically, they do make money off the device. That 0% installment plan isn't quite 0% since they're likely paying Apple just $400-500 for each phone (latest non-Plus 16GB).

Not at all likely. You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[gibbz]

Also, from what I read an "iPhone activation" is also required with one of the 4 major carriers so I would bet my $$ on these being the same carrier-specific stock as before, not the unlocked/sim free versions (these are apple employees, not carrier employees - scan and go is the game)

The site says it is unlocked. Phil Schiller said it was unlocked. It is an unlocked phone.

Unlocked — choose your carrier .... the iPhone Upgrade Program isn’t tied to a single carrier

 

[CooKieMoNs7eR]

Ok what if I don't want to do the installments, can I just pay $399 and sign another 2 year?

 

[karmatourer]

$31 a month for a phone and applecare+. I see a lot of people going prepaid. You end of breaking pretty close to even if you sell your phone and buy a new one out right every year.

My 2 year plan is ending in October and I finally got them to move my upgrade date to Sept but they must do it over the phone after it goes on sale,so that means Saturday morning with a call to Customer Relations. I considered going to Prepaid but they don't allow FAN discount,21% for me,so that was a deal breaker.

 

[green9206]

The upgrade program sounds cool but in the end doesn't really provide much benefits. The same person could instead sell off his phone by himself on ebay, swappa,etc every year and it will come to be about the same. Apple isn't offering anything special here. Its actually a cheeky way to get people to subscribe to their yearly upgrade plan and make people upgrade their iPhone every year thinking they're getting a good deal.
Apple will then sell the refurbished model you traded in for a hefty premium on their own site.
This way Apple gets to make even more money on second hand iPhones that otherwise would have been sold for cheaper on swappa, eBay, etc.

 

[Jmona]

If you have only paid 12 months, you surely do not get to keep it. That is the "upgrade" program. They get the phone back and you get a NEW phone. The open question is - can you pay it off and keep it.

I assume if you pay it off before the 24-36month time much like NEXT you CAN keep it.
Next time a new iPhone comes out of you want it without trading, you just start all over again from zero.

 

[Jmona]

Why would you not be able to apply for the apple credit card right now, and just buy the phone using that card when it comes out?

As a Barclay card holder, I don't recommend this. Interest is a killer. You're better off doing it without or at the end with Barclay alone you'll wind up paying an extra $400 just in interest over the course of 2 years and that is with a good standing account and if not paid off by the 18th month mark.
Edit:
And just in case you're wondering I believe interest rates in the first year is 0 but past that around 15% which is why I'm saying. Killer.
Oh. And the rewards programs suck. For every $100 spent you earn a buck back. $1.00 and I'm not even kidding. If you wind up getting one to say but a MBA around $1299, you'll winds up paying closer to $1800 for it instead. Trust me.

 

[Jmona]

I am on the ATT Next 18 plan now. Which means one more monthly payment and I can turn in my current 6+ and get the 6S+ and just continue on with my payments. I can't see spending close to $500 to "rent" a phone for a year. I just thought I would switch this current 6+ over to my wife and start up a new Next program to get the 6S+. after a few more months my original 6+ payments will be completed and I would own that phone outright.
What are you thoughts? Keep paying on a phone to own it, or go with apple and turn the phone in each year? For my situation, the Next program worked out best for me, as changing our plan saved us money, and got me the latest and greatest every year.

The problem I have with these programs is this and it's the big elephant in the room IMHO.

Make the math for whichever model you get.
In my case I always go for the bigger storage which is 128GB. In a year with next I've paid a little over $600 because I have the tendency of paying extra on each bill for the phones next payment alone. So.
What I want to get to is, this isn't the best viable option. Because on the long run you're leasing a phone per year for over $500 to then turn it in for another flagship phone which btw, you'll more than likely do the same all over again the subsequent year, which is pay another over $500 so you can upgrade, and so on.
That is the most absurd thing there is.
I understand that you all much like me want to have the flagship phone every year but really? A lease? Because that's exactly what this is. You'll NEVER own your phone. You'll just be paying a huge amount of money for leasing a phone.
Much like leasing a Lamborghini for a week for $5K when you already have a perfectly good car that although isn't as fast, still does its job.

Now. I have a question and sorry I can't skim through 5 pages and don't know if this subject has been touched. But.
What does this upgrade program mean for AT&T NEXT customers?
Specially those who are still within the first year of NEXT but want to use the upgrade through apple?

I was discussing this with my neighbor today and she is with Next as well. She wants to upgrade through apple. I said she'd have to finish paying her AT&T NEXT phone first to transition to Apple's program. Am I correct? Because if she wants to upgrade and she's still within her first 2 years (I think she's doing 3 actually) she's still tied to that and then she'd have to either pay off her phone completely to keep it, or again start all over and loose the money she's already paid off starting from zero.
Please correct me if wrong.

 

[Anijake]

My question is, how does the plan end? After 24 months do you keep the current phone you are on? So if I upgrade in a year to the iPhone 7 that starts another 2 year cycle, but lets say I stick with that phone for 2 years and not upgrade to the iPhone 8, do I keep the 7?

 

[Jmona]

My question is, how does the plan end? After 24 months do you keep the current phone you are on? So if I upgrade in a year to the iPhone 7 that starts another 2 year cycle, but lets say I stick with that phone for 2 years and not upgrade to the iPhone 8, do I keep the 7?

If paid off completely yes. Much like NEXT and EDGE of you pay off your phone completely you keep it and if you wish to upgrade and keep your old device once is fully paid off, you start all over from zero.

 

[engelke2010]

The problem I have with these programs is this and it's the big elephant in the room IMHO.

Now. I have a question and sorry I can't skim through 5 pages and don't know if this subject has been touched. But.
What does this upgrade program mean for AT&T NEXT customers?
Specially those who are still within the first year of NEXT but want to use the upgrade through apple?

I was discussing this with my neighbor today and she is with Next as well. She wants to upgrade through apple. I said she'd have to finish paying her AT&T NEXT phone first to transition to Apple's program. Am I correct? Because if she wants to upgrade and she's still within her first 2 years (I think she's doing 3 actually) she's still tied to that and then she'd have to either pay off her phone completely to keep it, or again start all over and loose the money she's already paid off starting from zero.
Please correct me if wrong.

I am on the Next 12 program. I paid the 12th month installment earlier in the week, even though my phone bill isn't due for another week or so. I am free now to do either another Next plan or do this one from Apple. I was going to do the Next again, until yesterday. I've already checked my upgrade eligibility on the AT&T app and I am g2g.

 

[MrMister111]

Am I right in thinking what this is... (I'm in UK so have to wait for it though)

You pay a monthly fee, you get a 6S or 6S+ and AppleCare+ , next year you hand in the 6S and get a 7, then after 2 years of the monthly fee, you can leave the scheme and keep the 7, or join again and get the 7S etc etc?

So will you ever get to keep an iPhone if you leave the scheme?

Thanks

 

[Blujelly]

Am I right in thinking what this is... (I'm in UK so have to wait for it though)

You pay a monthly fee, you get a 6S or 6S+ and AppleCare+ , next year you hand in the 6S and get a 7, then after 2 years of the monthly fee, you can leave the scheme and keep the 7, or join again and get the 7S etc etc?

So will you ever get to keep an iPhone if you leave the scheme?

Thanks

effectively you pay every month and you can upgrade every year.

If you then decided to not upgrade you continue payments until the 2 years is over. I would imagine at this point the iPhone would be ours if you do a complete 2 year cycle with no upgrade.

 

[GadgetSN]

Am I right in thinking what this is... (I'm in UK so have to wait for it though)

You pay a monthly fee, you get a 6S or 6S+ and AppleCare+ , next year you hand in the 6S and get a 7, then after 2 years of the monthly fee, you can leave the scheme and keep the 7, or join again and get the 7S etc etc?

So will you ever get to keep an iPhone if you leave the scheme?

Thanks

From a logical point of view you only get to keep the phone after paying 2 yrs of premium on that phone, not the start of the agreement. I.e get 6s pay 12m premium, swap 6s for a 7, then pay ANOTHER 24m to keep the 7. Otherwise pay 12 months and swap for a 7s. If you swap every 12 months you will never keep the phone.

 

[Kstone113]

Does anyone know how this will work on AT&T and Verzion. I am on NEXT and fine with waiting till the iPhone 7. However, since I went with NEXT, instead of paying $40 data package per phone, my wife and I get our data plans for $15 per phone or $40 - $25 discount. If I did this plan(things could change) next year, would AT&T charge me $40 for data instead of $15 since I'm not going through them? Just curious.

 

[mattopotamus]

Does anyone know how this will work on AT&T and Verzion. I am on NEXT and fine with waiting till the iPhone 7. However, since I went with NEXT, instead of paying $40 data package per phone, my wife and I get our data plans for $15 per phone or $40 - $25 discount. If I did this plan(things could change) next year, would AT&T charge me $40 for data instead of $15 since I'm not going through them? Just curious.

If you are getting some kind of deal of being on next I would not mess with this.

 

[Kstone113]

If you are getting some kind of deal of being on next I would not mess with this.

My understanding though was if you buy an iPhone retail price, you get the $25 a month line discount also. This is what I'm not sure of. It makes sense with the contracts that they make you pay the whole $40 for data because they are subsidizing the phone for you.

 

[Oridus]

Does anyone know how this will work on AT&T and Verzion. I am on NEXT and fine with waiting till the iPhone 7. However, since I went with NEXT, instead of paying $40 data package per phone, my wife and I get our data plans for $15 per phone or $40 - $25 discount. If I did this plan(things could change) next year, would AT&T charge me $40 for data instead of $15 since I'm not going through them? Just curious.

If you are getting some kind of deal of being on next I would not mess with this.

If you get your phone through another source your line fee will not increase to $40. The line fee will ONLY increase to $40 if you sign a 2yr contract through at&t to get a subsidized price on the phone and are on a Mobile Share Value plan. If you purchase your phone outright or from another source, it doesn't do anything with your plan so long as you're not agreeing to a subsidy and a 2yr with at&t.

 

[Kstone113]

If you get your phone through another source your line fee will not increase to $40. The line fee will ONLY increase $40 if you sign a 2yr contract through at&t to get a subsidized price on the phone and are on a Mobile Share Value plan. If you purchase your phone outright or from another source, it doesn't do anything with your plan so long as you're not agreeing to a subsidy and a 2yr with at&t.

I would think it would work that way. Just would like to know for sure.

I know everyone's situation is different but for me, I pay $31 something through AT&T NEXT a month for my iPhone - for about $5 dollars a month I get Apple Care with that(which I always get - now $129.99 - was $99 for me) and I can upgrade every year. I don't need to upgrade every year but would be nice. I'm on the NEXT 20 I believe. My wife and I currently owe $406 on our iPhone 6's.

If I was doing the NEXT 18, I would have a higher monthly payment. I could upgrade every year but my monthly payment I believe would be about what this Apple deal is of $36.58 however with no AppleCare. For people who don't get AppleCare, this won't make sense but for those of us who always get it anyways, seems like it can make sense money wise.

I really don't care about "owning" my phone. Its really a state of mind anyways as most people sell their phone anyways. I sold my iPhone 5 back to AT&T to get gift card and used to pay my bill.