iPhone 14 Pro Max New to iPhone - cheapest way to get into an unlocked 14 Pro Max?

[lowimpact]

Coming from a decade of Samsung phones where there were consistently amazing upgrade / trade-in offers either direct from Samsung or through Google Fi (huge up front discount then cancel after 90 days).

Are there any similar options for getting into an iPhone even slightly more cheaply?

Do Apple.com / Apple store / Apple resellers ever run promotions like boosted trade-in valuations towards unlocked phones or bundle discounts for accessories?

Are there any carriers that offer significant iPhone discounts without locking you into 2-3 years of overpriced "premium" cell plans that cost you more money than a free phone saves you while also locking you into a specific carrier?

Excited to shift to iOS camp this year, but having trouble wrapping my head around the apparent lack of any actual deals. If it's impossible to get any real discounts on an unlocked iPhone I'll still buy in - just want to make sure I'm not missing something.

 

[abbihaus]

Where are you based? Assuming US due to Google Fi?
If so, google "slickdeals" and search "iphone 14 pro max"

I'm from the UK so I don't really know much about the plans in the US, but there's two large discussions on Slickdeals for Costco etc which can help you reduce the cost of an Iphone 14 pm.

Have a look!

 

[russell_314]

No, unfortunately it’s not like some Samsung phones where they go half price a few months later.

If you’re trying to save money, a carrier lock is a good way to go. If you know you’re going to use that carrier it’s not the end of the world you’re locked in because you just have to make a choice. Of course, if you want to use prepaid to save money then it’s not going to work.

If you’re trying to get into a max size iPhone, and you’re on a budget, your best bet is to buy last year’s model used. That’s going to take significant caution because you have to make sure you’re not buying an iPhone that’s stolen and activation locked.

I don’t know about some of these deals websites. Just be careful because most of the time if it seems too good to be true, it is.

 

[lowimpact]

Where are you based? Assuming US due to Google Fi?
If so, google "slickdeals" and search "iphone 14 pro max"

I'm from the UK so I don't really know much about the plans in the US, but there's two large discussions on Slickdeals for Costco etc which can help you reduce the cost of an Iphone 14 pm.

Have a look!

Based in US. There are no real deals for 14 series on Slickdeals - just bad carrier lock-in options on locked phones and $30 discount direct from Costco which is barely a deal.

The complete lack of actual discounts is really surprising hence wanting to know if I'm missing something, but again if this is just how Apple rolls I'm okay with that.

 

[ian87w]

Coming from a decade of Samsung phones where there were consistently amazing upgrade / trade-in offers either direct from Samsung or through Google Fi (huge up front discount then cancel after 90 days).

Are there any similar options for getting into an iPhone even slightly more cheaply?

Do Apple.com / Apple store / Apple resellers ever run promotions like boosted trade-in valuations towards unlocked phones or bundle discounts for accessories?

Are there any carriers that offer significant iPhone discounts without locking you into 2-3 years of overpriced "premium" cell plans that cost you more money than a free phone saves you while also locking you into a specific carrier?

Excited to shift to iOS camp this year, but having trouble wrapping my head around the apparent lack of any actual deals. If it's impossible to get any real discounts on an unlocked iPhone I'll still buy in - just want to make sure I'm not missing something.

I concur with @russell_314 suggestion. The best deal near launch days in the US is probably carrier deals, but then you have to deal with contracts and carrier locking. There's no free lunch.

 

[abbihaus]

Based in US. There are no real deals for 14 series on Slickdeals - just bad carrier lock-in options on locked phones and $30 discount direct from Costco which is barely a deal.

The complete lack of actual discounts is really surprising hence wanting to know if I'm missing something, but again if this is just how Apple rolls I'm okay with that.

Isn't there the BOGO Costco deal? Requires signing up to a carrier for 3 months but I think after the deductions etc it can be cancelled and works out to having 2x phones for a decent discount?

 

[QuietGamer]

If U are a US Veteran there is a 10% discount available on current models. If you combine that with the refurbished store there are significant savings to be had on previous models (13 and prior). Current models may show up in the refurbished store in a few months.

 

[lowimpact]

No, unfortunately it’s not like some Samsung phones where they go half price a few months later.

If you’re trying to save money, a carrier lock is a good way to go. If you know you’re going to use that carrier it’s not the end of the world you’re locked in because you just have to make a choice. Of course, if you want to use prepaid to save money then it’s not going to work.

If you’re trying to get into a max size iPhone, and you’re on a budget, your best bet is to buy last year’s model used. That’s going to take significant caution because you have to make sure you’re not buying an iPhone that’s stolen and activation locked.

I don’t know about some of these deals websites. Just be careful because most of the time if it seems too good to be true, it is.

Carrier lock-in is a no go since it's significantly more expensive over the 24-36 month statement credit period - the math works out on zero of the carrier deals except for outlier situations - like you you need Verizon and scale up to 3-5 lines where the "premium" plan tax goes down a bit.

Also, phones for most carriers aren't unlocked. Google Fi was the sweet spot for Android upgrades due to lack of actual carrier lock-in (full discount offered at purchase & earned after 90 days vs monthly credits), unlocked phones and plans that were actually competively priced if you wanted to stick with Fi.

I'm not on a budget - just a bit mind blown at the idea that Apple users pay actual MSRP (or higher with bad carrier deals) - and trying to figure out if I'm missing something.

 

[lowimpact]

Isn't there the BOGO Costco deal? Requires signing up to a carrier for 3 months but I think after the deductions etc it can be cancelled and works out to having 2x phones for a decent discount?

This is what I'm talking about! So up front discount and only required to be active on carrier for 90 days? Do you have more details?

 

[lowimpact]

If U are a US Veteran there is a 10% discount available on current models. If you combine that with the refurbished store there are significant savings to be had on previous models (13 and prior). Current models may show up in the refurbished store in a few months.

Looking for best deal on new 14 Pro Max. Good tip on veteran discount in US.

 

[abbihaus]

Carrier lock-in is a no go since it's significantly more expensive over the 24-36 month statement credit period - the math works out on zero of the carrier deals except for outlier situations - like you you need Verizon and scale up to 3-5 lines where the "premium" plan tax goes down a bit.

Also, phones for most carriers aren't unlocked. Google Fi was the sweet spot for Android upgrades due to lack of actual carrier lock-in (full discount offered at purchase & earned after 90 days vs monthly credits), unlocked phones and plans that were actually competively priced if you wanted to stick with Fi.

I'm not on a budget - just a bit mind blown at the idea that Apple users pay actual MSRP (or higher with bad carrier deals) - and trying to figure out if I'm missing something.

As someone who was in your position a few years ago, all I can say is it's best not to compare. It's a diff value proposition.


With Apple, I have sacrificed all why I was an android die-hard for 10+ years because I need stability + ease in my life (to reduce stress). Apple offers a self-contained overpriced eco-system that just "works".

Now instead of spending 100's of hours playing around with diff configs of android devices/ROMs etc, I can just pick up all of my apple devices and they work in sync. That's the cost difference you are paying for imo.


For enthusiasts who like to "tinker" and the "i build my own PC because it's half the price of a pre-made rig" people, this is really hard to understand (and was me up until the Iphone 12 pro max).

Now I realise my time is more valuable compared with the money saved from leaving android.

 

[abbihaus]

This is what I'm talking about! So up front discount and only required to be active on carrier for 90 days? Do you have more details?

I don't im sorry! FInd the thread on slickdeals and go through the pages. I have never bought a phone in the US but will be moving there perm next year and my SO is american which is why I casually browse. As I am not buying in the US yet, I am never dedicated enough to read through the comments and jargon. Definitely do it though haha

 

[lowimpact]

As someone who was in your position a few years ago, all I can say is it's best not to compare. It's a diff value proposition.


With Apple, I have sacrificed all why I was an android die-hard for 10+ years because I need stability + ease in my life (to reduce stress). Apple offers a self-contained overpriced eco-system that just "works".

Now instead of spending 100's of hours playing around with diff configs of android devices/ROMs etc, I can just pick up all of my apple devices and they work in sync. That's the cost difference you are paying for imo.


For enthusiasts who like to "tinker" and the "i build my own PC because it's half the price of a pre-made rig" people, this is really hard to understand (and was me up until the Iphone 12 pro max).

Now I realise my time is more valuable compared with the money saved from android.

Not comparing - just don't want to bleed more money than necessary when switching to iOS.

I think the ecosystem benefits are negated by the walled garden issues and the need to "tinker" with Android is no longer really a thing. What really pushed me over into the Apple camp is their total dominance of first party wearables, third party wearables and wearable support / integration. First party WearOS wearables like Galaxy Watch being trash for fitness tracking vs Apple Watch, third party wearable apps / support being extremely iOS first etc.. Gap is getting bigger every year primarily due to Apple's average selling prices being so much higher - I like Android better but 99% of rich people spending $$$$ on health tech have iPhones.

 

[Johnny Steps]

It seems, based on your original post and replies, that you're really mostly focused on getting into the Apple ecosystem first. While I understand desiring to have a high-end iPhone, you may have to adjust your budget or take one of the deals the carriers are offering. I don't think you can have your cake and eat it too when this phone just recently launched. You can look into purchasing phones from the previous year or two since those are bound to have sales/reduced pricing on them and they're just as viable for the next couple of years when you decide to upgrade again. Apple's refurbished store is also a good place to look.

If you absolutely must have the latest iPhone and can't pay for it outright, look into applying for an Apple Card and using that to purchase an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple. You can choose to split the payments for 24 months, 0% APR payments; you'd basically pay the price of the phone over 24 months with no strings attached (unless you miss a payment or something).

 

[lowimpact]

It seems, based on your original post and replies, that you're really mostly focused on getting into the Apple ecosystem first. While I understand desiring to have a high-end iPhone, you may have to adjust your budget or take one of the deals the carriers are offering. I don't think you can have your cake and eat it too when this phone just recently launched. You can look into purchasing phones from the previous year or two since those are bound to have sales/reduced pricing on them and they're just as viable for the next couple of years when you decide to upgrade again. Apple's refurbished store is also a good place to look.

If you absolutely must have the latest iPhone and can't pay for it outright, look into applying for an Apple Card and using that to purchase an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple. You can choose to split the payments for 24 months, 0% APR payments; you'd basically pay the price of the phone over 24 months with no strings attached (unless you miss a payment or something).

I have zero issue paying for an unlocked 14 Pro Max outright (and have one preordered from Apple). Cost is not the issue here - just interested in not being a sucker and overpaying due to lack of familiarity with the iPhone pricing / deal landscape.

 

[Johnny Steps]

I have zero issue paying for an unlocked 14 Pro Max outright (and have one preordered from Apple). Cost is not the issue here - just interested in not being a sucker and overpaying due to lack of familiarity with the iPhone pricing / deal landscape.

I really think your best bet in finding a deal for new release phone would have to be using a trade-in. Or I believe some companies have built in perks (depends who you work for) that you can get like 10% off the retail price of a phone directly through Apple.

If it's any consolation, Apple devices have much higher resale value than Android. So once you've invested in your first one, and of course depending how frequently you upgrade, you would carry over some of that value each upgrade and pay less than you would outright buying the phone.

 

[russell_314]

I have zero issue paying for an unlocked 14 Pro Max outright (and have one preordered from Apple). Cost is not the issue here - just interested in not being a sucker and overpaying due to lack of familiarity with the iPhone pricing / deal landscape.

That makes perfect sense. I sometimes wish that Apple had pricing like Samsung but then I would be really irritated if I bought a phone on launch day that was significantly cheaper a few months later. I wouldn’t be buying phones on launch day if Apple did that, but I would save some money.

I’ve never seen any crazy deals offered on iPhone. I’ve seen Apple Watch go on sale on Amazon for some models and iPads, but not iPhone. The only time you’ll save money is when they keep the older model. Like right now you can buy a new iPhone 13 cheaper than you could’ve bought the iPhone 13 when it was new. Of course they’re not going to do this with the pro models.

I agree with you that if your plan is to save money with prepaid, like straight talk, which is a smart thing to do then carrier lock and deals are not good. Even though I’m with Verizon, I’ve avoided those carrier locking deals just because I don’t want to be locked in.

It seems weird that you’re just switching over to iPhone just for the Apple Watch or maybe I misunderstood that. I quickly read through your posts so I could’ve misread them.

Whatever iPhone you get if you’re buying it from the Apple Store you have 14 days to change your mind so for instance, if you get the 14 promax and the side it’s way too big for you and maybe you should’ve just got the regular 14 you can take it back. Even if you decide wow that was a bad idea and I want my android phone back you can just get your money back. Of course he might lose some money if you have to deal with carriers switching lines if they’re charging you an activation fee.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your new phone if you decide to get one!

 

[lowimpact]

I really think your best bet in finding a deal for new release phone would have to be using a trade-in. Or I believe some companies have built in perks (depends who you work for) that you can get like 10% off the retail price of a phone directly through Apple.

If it's any consolation, Apple devices have much higher resale value than Android. So once you've invested in your first one, and of course depending how frequently you upgrade, you would carry over some of that value each upgrade and pay less than you would outright buying the phone.

Apple definitely has higher resale value if you want to spend the time to resell the phone yourself. Trade-in valuations appear to be effectively identical when trading in prior year premium devices for current year ones - Samsung having better initial trade-in offers at launch and Apple having better trade-in offers outside of launch time.

 

[webkit]

If it's any consolation, Apple devices have much higher resale value than Android. So once you've invested in your first one, and of course depending how frequently you upgrade, you would carry over some of that value each upgrade and pay less than you would outright buying the phone.

This is a potential factor (at least if someone sells/trades every few years) that many tend to overlook. Even though buyers may be paying full MSRP for an iPhone, some of that can be made up by the iPhone's much better resale value. For example, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra may only be worth around 20% of its original MSRP in two years while an iPhone 14 Pro Max may be worth 45% or more.

 

[compwiz1202]

No, unfortunately it’s not like some Samsung phones where they go half price a few months later.

If you’re trying to save money, a carrier lock is a good way to go. If you know you’re going to use that carrier it’s not the end of the world you’re locked in because you just have to make a choice. Of course, if you want to use prepaid to save money then it’s not going to work.

If you’re trying to get into a max size iPhone, and you’re on a budget, your best bet is to buy last year’s model used. That’s going to take significant caution because you have to make sure you’re not buying an iPhone that’s stolen and activation locked.

I don’t know about some of these deals websites. Just be careful because most of the time if it seems too good to be true, it is.

Yea I don't understand why people even buy Samsungs right away. One of the few times I went Samsung was when X came out. I got one on Best Buy for some ridiculous deal shortly after launch.

 

[abbihaus]

Not comparing - just don't want to bleed more money than necessary when switching to iOS.

I think the ecosystem benefits are negated by the walled garden issues and the need to "tinker" with Android is no longer really a thing. What really pushed me over into the Apple camp is their total dominance of first party wearables, third party wearables and wearable support / integration. First party WearOS wearables like Galaxy Watch being trash for fitness tracking vs Apple Watch, third party wearable apps / support being extremely iOS first etc.. Gap is getting bigger every year primarily due to Apple's average selling prices being so much higher - I like Android better but 99% of rich people spending $$$$ on health tech have iPhones.

Apologies - I totally conflated your seeking a good deal with RRP not being value for money.

I've spent the last week trying to find any way to get the 14 PM for cheaper both in the US and UK as I have access to both markets. For the US, it seems that unless you have access to discounts at retailers such as the veterans discount, you are likely having to pay RRP.

The alternative would be to utilise credit card points (i.e. roughly 100k chase points == iphone 14 pro max) if you are able to generate points easily/cheap.

 

[lowimpact]

Yea I don't understand why people even buy Samsungs right away. One of the few times I went Samsung was when X came out. I got one on Best Buy for some ridiculous deal shortly after launch.

People buy Samsungs right away because there are *always* ridiculous deals around launch like the one you found.

 

[tis]

Check Redpocket and Visible. Both offer rebates on the phone after a few months. Redpocket was actually giving a $100 discount immediately and a $200 rebate last week, but the $100 up front discount has ended. I went with them and got the 14 Pro for $899 with a $200 rebate due in three months. Visible is offering a $200 rebate and a pair of AirPods with purchase right now. Redpocket will unlock after one year. I’m not sure about Visible.

 

[lowimpact]

Check Redpocket and Visible. Both offer rebates on the phone after a few months. Redpocket was actually giving a $100 discount immediately and a $200 rebate last week, but the $100 up front discount has ended. I went with them and got the 14 Pro for $899 with a $200 rebate due in three months. Visible is offering a $200 rebate and a pair of AirPods with purchase right now. Redpocket will unlock after one year. I’m not sure about Visible.

Definitely closer to the type of deal I'd be looking for - thanks 👍

 

[eddjedi]

It's a bit like trying to switch from PC to Mac - it is REALLY hard to find any kind of discount, you're pretty much going to have to pay full retail. And as you have discovered, paying up front in full and finding your own tarrif usually works out about the same as getting a 'free' phone and $100 a month contract. There's really no way to save a meaningful amount of money unfortunately.

BUT in a year or two, your iPhone will still be worth a considerable amount on the second hand market, while the same can't be said for the vast majority of Android phones. Same goes for used PCs VS Macs, it's well worth factoring in the resale value in a couple of years to help swallow the up front cost.