UK - iPhone upgrade program?

[virginblue4]

So, I like to upgrade my iPhone every year. This year I intend to get the iPhone 7 Plus, let's say the 128GB jet black model.

According to apples website, if I choose to go with the iPhone upgrade program, this will cost me £44.45 per month. If I choose to get the next next iPhone in September 2017 (iPhone 7s Plus) I can trade the current iPhone 7 plus in to Apple. So I would have made 11 months of payments (£488.95), an initial upfront payment of £49 meaning I will have spent a total of £537.95.

Then, once I trade in, I start completely fresh and will pay the same amount for the next year etc.


Now let's look at buying the phone outright from Apple, it would cost me £819 and then £119 for AppleCare+ making a total of £938. Realistically, I could probably sell the phone after a year for £550 (I just got £420 for a 64GB iPhone 6s and that was from Envirophone!) plus get a refund for the AppleCare+ that was not used (let's say a refund of £50). So that will give me £600 to put towards the next lot of £938 meaning this will only cost me £338 and the phone is mine from day one to do as I please.

So looking at it this way, it'll be cheaper for me to buy it outright and sell it than it would to be through the upgrade program. If that's the case, then I can't understand the point?

 

[virginblue4]

Anyone?

 

[Dlanod]

Yeah was think along the same lines. But I'm struggling to consider paying £819 for a phone. So will probably sit this one out and wait for the anniversary model next year.

 

[n1ck]

On the program two iphones over 2 years would be £1166 vs you paying £1276 for two iphones outright.

The program only becomes more expensive if you dont upgrade one year and then have to pay the remaining 8 months.

 

[virginblue4]

On the program two iphones over 2 years would be £1166 vs you paying £1276 for two iphones outright.

The program only becomes more expensive if you dont upgrade one year and then have to pay the remaining 8 months.

But if I bought them outright I'd sell the first one when I upgrade so it wouldn't cost £1276 overall...

 

[n1ck]

But if I bought them outright I'd sell the first one when I upgrade so it wouldn't cost £1276 overall...

Yes it would - the second phone might be £300ish but you have still spent £900 on the first.

Also re the 8 months at the end you would still have an iPhone to sell on - so basically both options cost more or less the same.

 

[samxv]

The way I see it is I won't have to make the effort of selling my phone via eBay / whatever service pays the most weeks before the new phone comes out to get the best price. I can keep my current phone until the day I get my new one and upgrade each year. I don't have to worry about using a case or scratching my phone as they'll accept it for an upgrade but if I get even one hairline scratch on my eBay'd phones it loses massive value.

So its about convenience? it doesn't really mean its better value money wise I guess.

 

[ocanalix]

I posted this in the other thread, but:

*Based on entry model iPhone 7. iPhone 8 price based on current iPhone 7 cost. iPhone 7 resale price based on current iPhone 6s recycle profit via Mazuma Mobile.