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iPhone Upgrade Programme coming to UK tomorrow.
- Thread starter Totalkharnage
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Been waiting for this to roll out in UK but having seen the pricing I don't think i'll bother. I've only just fi shed watching the Keynote and I'm still digesting the announcements. Phil Schiller said on stage that the iPhone 7 would be priced the same as the 6s, am I to assume that we've got Brexit to thank for price hike in the UK??
I'm just getting ready for work so not had time to look through all the posts here, but the thing that's getting me is how we're getting screwed over a little here in the UK on the upgrade programme. I believe that in the US it's a 24 month contract so you pay for 50% of the phone (plus Apple Care) each 12 months with nothing to pay up front. Here we have to pay £49 up front then pay 11x£44.45 (128GB Plus) for a total of £537 or about £57% of the cost of the phone + AppleCare. That's not taking into account the fact that due to our legislation we don't even really need Apple Care here so that's £119 on the cost of the phone we don't need anyway.
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Sadly we can thank Brexit as the excuse people are using to hike prices when they don't need to. All the components that have made these phones will have been ordered and price-locked when the pound was doing better against the dollar. Probably the shipping rates too. But as soon as the pound weakens, the prices go up. Never happens as quick when the pound strengthens against the dollar I find. Weird that innit?
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Sadly we can thank Brexit as the excuse people are using to hike prices when they don't need to. All the components that have made these phones will have been ordered and price-locked when the pound was doing better against the dollar. Probably the shipping rates too. But as soon as the pound weakens, the prices go up. Never happens as quick when the pound strengthens against the dollar I find. Weird that innit?
I don't get what the fuss is about over the upgrade program.... I want the £919 model I will go on the program pay approx £600 in the 11 months get AppleCare and next iPhone. Interest free. Where's the bad side?
There are two prices. One with AppleCare and yearly upgrades and one for iPhone only. For your one, iPhone only is £38.50 per month plus £49 deposit
http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
You've paid £600 and nothing to show for it I think is what people are getting at?
£600 yes but I can get the next iPhone without having to fork out a huge amount like I would have to now if I were to buy outright
Spot on agree 100%
Yes but it doesn't allow the annual upgrades which practically defeats the object of the upgrade program
If you think that's the best option for you then do that. The poster that mentioned the credit card was only giving you an alternative.
Basically if you opt for the upgrade option, yes you can get a new phone every year but you'll also have a monthly payment forever
But that's fine
it's interest free and I'd rather have that DD than having to worry about a credit card balance
Quick thought... Will they also want each iPhone back after the year when you get a new one?!?! Effectively your paying a lease for a year.
But that's fine
Then go for it. I'm hoping to make an appointment for the Saturday or Sunday, don't really want to waste a days leave just to pick it up on launch day. Last 2 upgrades were late cos I was on holiday so a day or 2 won't matter
I'd rather buy it outright or put it on a cc and then sell when I get next model instead of paying for something I never own.
If you opted not to upgrade you would own it at the end of the 20 months
I think people really aren't looking at this in the right way.
It is almost exclusively designed for people who are going to upgrade each year, HOWEVER there isn't a penalty if you decide not to, due to the 0% interest.
For those saying why not just buy outright and then sell it for the next one, it's mainly the removal of hassle.
Look at it this way:
Upgrade Programme -
£49 Upfront + £33.45 x 11 = £416
Buying Outright -
£600 upfront + £120 AppleCare+ - £300 sale price in one year = £420
That's the realistic cost of owning the phone for one year. Obviously you don't have to buy the AppleCare+ but it's included in the programme, so it's an unfair comparison without.
If it turns out the value after a year is much higher but you still want to sell, you can just pay off the remaining value of the programme and sell it like you would the one purchased outright. Perhaps the next iPhone doesn't take your fancy so you just continue paying it off over 12 months.
To be honest I don't really see a downside of the plan, and I can afford to buy the phone outright, just the ease of upgrading is appealing.
It is almost exclusively designed for people who are going to upgrade each year, HOWEVER there isn't a penalty if you decide not to, due to the 0% interest.
For those saying why not just buy outright and then sell it for the next one, it's mainly the removal of hassle.
Look at it this way:
Upgrade Programme -
£49 Upfront + £33.45 x 11 = £416
Buying Outright -
£600 upfront + £120 AppleCare+ - £300 sale price in one year = £420
That's the realistic cost of owning the phone for one year. Obviously you don't have to buy the AppleCare+ but it's included in the programme, so it's an unfair comparison without.
If it turns out the value after a year is much higher but you still want to sell, you can just pay off the remaining value of the programme and sell it like you would the one purchased outright. Perhaps the next iPhone doesn't take your fancy so you just continue paying it off over 12 months.
To be honest I don't really see a downside of the plan, and I can afford to buy the phone outright, just the ease of upgrading is appealing.
Good point that you still have the option to purchase and sell yourself at any point. Remember though that the AppleCare+ would be half that price as you only have it a year.
If you sell a phone you've paid for AppleCare+ on you can't transfer it or get a refund etc, it will be sold with the phone. You might get a bit more for it, or make it an easier sell, but you'll still have to pay £120 for it.
My 1 Year value was a little on the low side, but you've gotta consider how easy it will be to walk in to the Apple store and just give them your old phone and pick up a new one, and to get a sale that easy you'll have to price it lower than most.
From what I can work out as well, if you buy the phone, and AppleCare+, and keep it for the full 20 months, it will actually be £70 cheaper as you pay just the upfront cost and no AppleCare+ cost. I haven't delved in to the T&Cs but it's possible the AC+ only runs until you've paid off the phone though, so you get 20 months not 24 months.
I think you can do something similar to this through Apple. Instead of going for the upgrade programme there is an option to spread payments without AppleCare although apple website does seem to say it has to be over 20 months but it is still interest free. Am thinking of trading in my iPhone 6 for £235 and putting this towards cost of new 7 (£599) then spreading the balance over 20 months if they allow me to do this. I can then upgrade after 20 months instead of my current 24 months. Okay it is not allowing a yearly upgrade but better than my current deal with Carphone Warehouse.
Refund is possible: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202704
Not sure I understand your last point. The 32gb 7 is £718 over 20 months which is phone cost (£699) + AppleCare+ cost (£119).
Interesting, seems I was wrong on both of those points. Never knew you could get a refund on AppleCare. And I was just assuming the monthly cost was the price divided by 20, not the price plus AppleCare+.
Still, the point does still stand that the price difference isn't that huge.