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Price for a second iPhone

eagleglen

eagleglen

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 2, 2009
1,127
309
Phoenix, AZ
I purchased my iPhone 4 by pre-ordering it online from apple.com and received it at launch. It was an upgrade from my 3GS, so my eligibility for discounted pricing should have been reset. I've been thinking about the white iPhone and have considered buying one when they are released and then selling my black iPhone. So even though I expect to pay the full unsubsidized price of $699 for the 32 GB model, I just checked my eligibility online and was surprised to see that I would only be charged $499 if I purchase it before November 18, 2011. (It says $299 if purchased afterwards.)

Is this typical or is it a glitch that happens to be in my favor? If you upgraded to the iPhone 4, what is your current eligibility price quote if you bought another iPhone today?

If a new iPhone 4 is only $500, I'm sure one could easily make a profit reselling it, don't you think?

Here is where you can check your eligibility price:
https://buyiphone.apple.com/WebObjects/IPACustomer.woa/wa/IPAToolAction/checkUpgradeEligibility
 
Hey, i just checked and got the exact same message as you. I hope it will stay this way so i can get the white and sell the black.
 
This is what I got.


"We are unable to upgrade this account.

We are sorry, but this account cannot be upgraded at this time. Please visit an AT&T store for more account details."
 
bndoarn said:
That's not a glitch. It's just an early upgrade price.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know that's the "early upgrade price", but I just upgraded less than a month ago. A full upgrade is usually given after 18 months and the early upgrade sometime before that, but I didn't think it was immediately effective. Otherwise it would only be a two tier pricing structure instead of three.
 
eagleglen said:
Yes, I know that's the "early upgrade price", but I just upgraded less than a month ago. A full upgrade is usually given after 18 months and the early upgrade sometime before that, but I didn't think it was immediately effective. Otherwise it would only be a two tier pricing structure instead of three.
Click to expand...

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe this is how it works (and it explains the three tier pricing):

With the subsidized pricing, you get the cheapest price and you extend your contract and upgrade date for another two years.

With early upgrading you pay $200 more than the subsidized price to upgrade early and you still extend your contract and upgrade date for another two years.

With the unsubsidized pricing, you pay the full amount for the iPhone but you don't have to extend your contract or upgrade date.
 
bndoarn said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe this is how it works (and it explains the three tier pricing):

With the subsidized pricing, you get the cheapest price and you extend your contract and upgrade date for another two years.

With early upgrading you pay $200 more than the subsidized price to upgrade early and you still extend your contract and upgrade date for another two years.

With the unsubsidized pricing, you pay the full amount for the iPhone but you don't have to extend your contract or upgrade date.
Click to expand...

That makes sense, but I still thought you had to wait some time before before you could get the early upgrade price. I'm still curious what it says for other people who currently have an iPhone 4. Is that price available to everyone right after you just purchased one?
 
I have two phones with AT&T, one was an iPhone 2G, and the other one was a cheap $19.99 Nokia (which I have had for 3 years). I purchased an iPhone 4 on my first line (which was the 2G line) for $299 from Best Buy. The other day, I went to the Apple Store to check my eligibility for the other line and it said I was eligible for $199/$299 price on that line too! Whoa, cool! So I could have a Black 32GB iPhone and get a 16GB White one on the other line for only $199! I think that's what I'm going to do.
 
I just read this too. The lines which got the iphone 4 on launch for full upgrade discounts are now eligible for early upgrade (399/499 pricing). Can this be? I mean is the early upgrade price unlimited because if it is then cant someone just keep buying iphone on one line for 399 instead of 599 and sell them? or is there a catch?
 
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