iPhone 15 Pro Max Upgrade 12PM now to 15PM or wait

[jekim]

I have a paid off 12PM on AT&T with no plans to switch carriers. I care about getting the cheapest phone payment possible so I wanted to ask for opinions on whether to upgrade to a 15PM now while my trade in is $700 at the moment. My concern is that when the 16PM orders go live my trade in value will drop thus making the phone payment higher. I just want to maximize the phone value I have and get the best deal payment wise. Thanks!

 

[Conza]

Hi Jekim, I have a similar question in a different sub-forum so I may move it over here as it seems to be the right place.

It depends if you're going for the 15PM or 16PM, and depends if you're paying via your carrier.

If it's the 15PM, definitely wait, it'll lose about 40% of it's value, so while your 12PM will go down in value, as well, it won't go down as sharply as the 15PM will in the next few months - most likely.
If it's via your carrier, you have no choice but to do so before the 16PM, afaik, because as soon as that September date rolls over, the 15PM will disappear as an option from carriers

If it's the 16PM, you obviously have to wait, you could go sell your 12PM privately before hand, but then you're without a phone for some period of time.

 

[jekim]

Hi Jekim, I have a similar question in a different sub-forum so I may move it over here as it seems to be the right place.

It depends if you're going for the 15PM or 16PM, and depends if you're paying via your carrier.

If it's the 15PM, definitely wait, it'll lose about 40% of it's value, so while your 12PM will go down in value, as well, it won't go down as sharply as the 15PM will in the next few months - most likely.
If it's via your carrier, you have no choice but to do so before the 16PM, afaik, because as soon as that September date rolls over, the 15PM will disappear as an option from carriers

If it's the 16PM, you obviously have to wait, you could go sell your 12PM privately before hand, but then you're without a phone for some period of time.

Which phone it is doesn’t really matter to me. I’m concerned about low payments. I don’t mind owning the previous gen if it get me a $13 monthly payment over a $28 monthly payment for the current gen

 

[Conza]

Which phone it is doesn’t really matter to me. I’m concerned about low payments. I don’t mind owning the previous gen if it get me a $13 monthly payment over a $28 monthly payment for the current gen

My understanding is, if you're just going carrier, your repayments will likely be the same now or later, they may be higher later and your trade in will almost certainly be lower later, so on that basis go now.

If somehow, your carrier is offering a 15PM after the 16PM, then it's a calculation, which unfortunately you can only really do, after the 16PM releases to know if you made the right call to wait or not, it's something like.

If yz - yx > v - w, then you should've traded in your 12PM before the 16PM, else you're safe to wait.

v = 12PM 2024 trade in
w= 12PM 2025 trade in (realising it will still be 2024, but after 16PM gets released)
years = y
repayments 15PM = x
repayments 16PM = z


You can run the calculation now, then speculate the calculation in the future using the 11PM trade-in value, but it won't be accurate.

Again, I'm more surprised if your carrier currently offers a 14PM on repayments? This isn't available in my region, if this is available, then this is worth entertaining, see what the 14PM repayments are now and substitute the 11PM trade in. If it doesn't, well, you should probably organise for the 15PM now to have the most for your trade in, or, sell your 12PM private now or later to maximize value.