Carrier Want to Exchange iPhone 17 Pro Max 256 GB and get the 512 GB—How to Keep My AT&T Bill Credits?

[thomasdangit]

I bought a iPhone 17 Pro Max 256 GB at my local Apple Store a few days ago and used Apple’s AT&T carrier financing/trade-in deal. My old iPhone 13 Pro Max was traded in on the spot, and I’m getting $1,100 in AT&T bill credits spread over 36 months.

Here’s the twist: since purchase I’ve taken up a new photo hobby and I’m rethinking storage. I’d like to move up to 512 GB (or maybe 1 TB). The model I want is currently in stock at the same Apple Store.

What I need to know:

• If I simply return my current 256 GB phone and buy the 512 GB, will that cancel the AT&T trade-in promotionand make me lose the $1,100 in credits?
• Will Apple/AT&T treat this like a new line purchase and require me to wait for the old credits to fall off before re-applying the promo, leaving me without a phone for a few days?
• Is there a way for Apple to process this as a direct exchange—similar to when the Genius Bar swaps a defective iPhone for a new one with a different serial number—so that the AT&T installment plan and credits stay intact and I just pay the storage-price difference?

Question: Has anyone done a same-line storage upgrade after activation and kept their monthly AT&T bill credits? I’m hoping the store can handle this as a single transaction (old phone out, new phone in, same financing plan) but I don’t want to risk losing those credits or getting stuck without a phone while the system resets. Any first-hand experience or official guidance would be hugely appreciated.

 

[dave006]

Question: Has anyone done a same-line storage upgrade after activation and kept their monthly AT&T bill credits? I’m hoping the store can handle this as a single transaction (old phone out, new phone in, same financing plan) but I don’t want to risk losing those credits or getting stuck without a phone while the system resets. Any first-hand experience or official guidance would be hugely appreciated.

You can't do it in a single transaction. First you need to return your existing iPhone 17 Pro Max. Then you will need to purchase your new iPhone 17 Pro Max on an AT&T 36 month installment contract.

It normally takes 30 minutes to reset your line's eligibility. You will not lose your device credits since they will be reset to the new larger capacity iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Dave