It's a much better deal than buying a phone from the carrier, maybe not price-wise, but in other ways.
So, for example, let's say I buy from T-Moblie for $650 off contract and agree to pay in installments. So I owe them $27 a month for the next 24 months. If I leave after 12 months to a new provided, I have to pay them the balance of the phone, $325 in one lump some. Might as well be an ETF. With Apple's plan, i wouldnt have to. I could just continue to pay Apple my monthly installment and take my phone to a new provider. Also, with Apple's option my phone is able to work on all both CDMA and GSM networks. If I buy from the carrier, using T-Mobile as an example again, I'm locked to only using that phone on a GSM carrier even after I pay it off.
So it seems Apple's option gives you "true" freedom to go from carrier to carrier as you see fit with out large lump some payments or being stuck on one particular network type.
I don't see this as all that great a plan compared to what the telcos are offering. Granted you do get an unlocked phone and they roll the cost of Apple Care into the monthly fee, but......
Run the numbers and you will see that if run to term the payout over 24 months for a 64GB iP6s comes to $877.92. The actual phone cost is $749.00. Apple Care is $99.00. Combined $848. So there is a discrepancy between the cost and the payout over 24 months. Also this is NOT a 1st party plan, but one that Apple is offering thru Citizens One and it appears that they are charging a relatively small fee of $1.25 a month, while a plan like AT&T Next has NO fee, but you do have to pay for Apple Care upfront, at least that was the case last year. The AT&T Next cost for a 64GB iPhone costing $749, is $37.45 per month (I know as took that route last year). As taxes must be paid up front regardless that does not enter into the discussion. Both plan allow for early termination by paying off the remaining payments, but again, you wind up paying an extra $29.92 going with the Apple plan if you decide to keep the phone thru term OR if you pay it off early.
Trying to compare this new plan to the old 2 year contract with subsidy is misleading as it should be compared to similar plans that all 4 of the major telcos offer.
I think the difference here is that you also get Apple Care along with it which at least sweetens the pot. So if you were getting a lowest tier 6s with Apple Care it would be about $300 on contract while your monthly bill pays the subsidized difference (which doesn't come off the bill when the phone is paid off) but with the installment plans at the carriers it would be the flat $129 for Apple Care (new Apple Care pricing http://www.apple.com/shop/product/APP_IPHONE_6S_PLUS_AUTO-133580/applecare-for-iphone-6s-and-iphone-6s-plus) + the $27 a month giving you a cost of $453 throughout the year that you're beholden to the plan. Apple's upgrade program at $32 a month with Apple Care comes out to $384 for the year. Seems to be a net savings unless I'm missing something.
If you are trading in the phone every year, does Apple Care really provide any value since a new phone has a 1year warranty? You get 2 accident events covered with AC, but still have $80/100 charge plus tax for those. I would think that the most common accident is broken screen which historically has only been about $100 to repair.
If you are trading in the phone every year, does Apple Care really provide any value since a new phone has a 1year warranty? You get 2 accident events covered with AC, but still have $80/100 charge plus tax for those. I would think that the most common accident is broken screen which historically has only been about $100 to repair.
You are probably right ... the warranty is mostly only if you intend to keep the phone for more than a year. oth, AppleCare only provides 90 days of support, so you are getting factory tech support for the whole year.
If you are trading in the phone every year, does Apple Care really provide any value since a new phone has a 1year warranty? You get 2 accident events covered with AC, but still have $80/100 charge plus tax for those. I would think that the most common accident is broken screen which historically has only been about $100 to repair.
IIRC the replacement charge if you damage the phone is less with Applecare+, there's some flat fees listed last time I looked. The warranty covers a bad phone but not your dropping it or busting a screen etc.
I think this could be VERY disruptive to the carriers. If you're buying/leasing your phone directly from Apple, you're free to chase whatever carrier offers the best price or service. If people really go for this, I think we could see prices for service plummet.
Tempting, but they're gonna have to pry my grandfathered AT&T unlimited data plan from my cold, dead hands.
Not sure, but I think with this plan you can keep your current carrier plan. It will be considered an unlocked phone in a contract through Apple. So I don't think your unlimited plan will go anywhere.
Not sure, but I think with this plan you can keep your current carrier plan. It will be considered an unlocked phone in a contract through Apple. So I don't think your unlimited plan will go anywhere.
I have one too so I'd like to know for sure.
I would think that if you are just moving your SIM from one phone to the other, ATT really doesn't care (or even have to know.) I have a grandfathered iPad plan and I have upgraded continually without any issues.
Am I missing something, or can an unlocked phone be used with any carrier that'll take it?
If I wanted to use a prepaid plan, it could be significantly cheaper, in my situation. Plus yearly upgrades.
I did a bit of math, from my current carrier with a 24 month installment plan, combined with my cell plan, I pay ~$90/month. If I went ahead and paid off the installment plan in a lump sum, then got a phone through this program (I'd go for a Plus, so it'd be ~$41 per month), then a comparable prepaid plan on the site I was looking for, I'd be paying ~$65/month total. AND I'd get an upgrade every 12 months. Plus, the prepaid provider buys from the same carrier network I'm on now, so the coverage wouldn't change at all. It doesn't seem to be that much different when you pay at the beginning of the month instead of after.
I'm waiting to find out this wouldn't be an option, somehow.
I, too, have my grandfathered unlimited data plan, which I want to keep.
My current 2 year contract on AT&T is over in November. I would think that I should just be able to get the new 6s at launch through Apple's monthly plan and NOT have to wait until my 2 year contract is up in November.
Is that how everyone else interprets this?
I went to the Apple Store app on my iPhone to "get ready for the upgrade" and it didn't allow me an option to sign up for the Apple upgrade program. It's still treating me as thought I must wait out until I'm eligible for an ATT upgrade.
I, too, have my grandfathered unlimited data plan, which I want to keep.
My current 2 year contract on AT&T is over in November. I would think that I should just be able to get the new 6s at launch through Apple's monthly plan and NOT have to wait until my 2 year contract is up in November.
Is that how everyone else interprets this?
I went to the Apple Store app on my iPhone to "get ready for the upgrade" and it didn't allow me an option to sign up for the Apple upgrade program. It's still treating me as thought I must wait out until I'm eligible for an ATT upgrade.
Thoughts?
I did the same and got the same options. I'm guessing because you're not to term with your contract with AT&T Apple is not going to provide you the ? upgrade program until your contract is through with AT&T and you have "successfully" paid off the remaining cost of your subsidized phone.
I don't see this as all that great a plan compared to what the telcos are offering. Granted you do get an unlocked phone and they roll the cost of Apple Care into the monthly fee, but......
Run the numbers and you will see that if run to term the payout over 24 months for a 64GB iP6s comes to $877.92. The actual phone cost is $749.00. Apple Care is $99.00. Combined $848. So there is a discrepancy between the cost and the payout over 24 months. Also this is NOT a 1st party plan, but one that Apple is offering thru Citizens One and it appears that they are charging a relatively small fee of $1.25 a month, while a plan like AT&T Next has NO fee, but you do have to pay for Apple Care upfront, at least that was the case last year. The AT&T Next cost for a 64GB iPhone costing $749, is $37.45 per month (I know as took that route last year). As taxes must be paid up front regardless that does not enter into the discussion. Both plan allow for early termination by paying off the remaining payments, but again, you wind up paying an extra $29.92 going with the Apple plan if you decide to keep the phone thru term OR if you pay it off early.
Trying to compare this new plan to the old 2 year contract with subsidy is misleading as it should be compared to similar plans that all 4 of the major telcos offer.
AppleCare+ is now $129, so that wipes out the $29.92 difference in your comparison, so now one would be paying $0.08 less going with the Apple plan. And as SupaDav03 pointed out, it would seem that you'd be able to change carriers at will without any kind of penalty (i.e., paying off the phone in full, or having to turn it in and get a new one) if you're not under a carrier contract, since you are continuing to pay Apple for the phone and not the carrier.
I did the same and got the same options. I'm guessing because you're not to term with your contract with AT&T Apple is not going to provide you the ? upgrade program until your contract is through with AT&T and you have "successfully" paid off the remaining cost of your subsidized phone.
It (iPhone Upgrade Program) may appear as an option later in the checkout process that isn't available until the pre-order goes live, it's a little peculiar in that it requires an in-store pickup so it might be linked to pickup options etc. It'd be an offshoot of full price so maybe not linked to carrier upgrades? When I check my "available pricing" the subsidized carrier prices of the NEXT plan are listed as available in May of next year (18 months into my plan), while the full cost is shown as available "today"... and the iPhone Upgrade Program is in effect full cost, just amortized with a trade-in option after 12 months.
Comments
6s 6s+
16 $32.41 $36.58
64 $36.58 $40.75
128 $40.75 $44.91
Not sure I understand, but why are there 2 differing prices for the monthly cost of a new iPhone with the upgrade program
If you look on different areas of Apple's website you get different prices for what appears to be the same phone
http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone6s
16GB = 32.45 mo
64GB = 37.45 mo
128 GB = 42.45 mo
while on
http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
16GB = 32.41
64 GB = 36.58
128 GB = 40.75
what am I missing here?
I think one may be carrier-subsidized whereas the other is Apple upgrade program backed by Citizen's Bank?
It's a much better deal than buying a phone from the carrier, maybe not price-wise, but in other ways.
So, for example, let's say I buy from T-Moblie for $650 off contract and agree to pay in installments. So I owe them $27 a month for the next 24 months. If I leave after 12 months to a new provided, I have to pay them the balance of the phone, $325 in one lump some. Might as well be an ETF. With Apple's plan, i wouldnt have to. I could just continue to pay Apple my monthly installment and take my phone to a new provider. Also, with Apple's option my phone is able to work on all both CDMA and GSM networks. If I buy from the carrier, using T-Mobile as an example again, I'm locked to only using that phone on a GSM carrier even after I pay it off.
So it seems Apple's option gives you "true" freedom to go from carrier to carrier as you see fit with out large lump some payments or being stuck on one particular network type.
I don't see this as all that great a plan compared to what the telcos are offering. Granted you do get an unlocked phone and they roll the cost of Apple Care into the monthly fee, but......
Run the numbers and you will see that if run to term the payout over 24 months for a 64GB iP6s comes to $877.92. The actual phone cost is $749.00. Apple Care is $99.00. Combined $848. So there is a discrepancy between the cost and the payout over 24 months. Also this is NOT a 1st party plan, but one that Apple is offering thru Citizens One and it appears that they are charging a relatively small fee of $1.25 a month, while a plan like AT&T Next has NO fee, but you do have to pay for Apple Care upfront, at least that was the case last year. The AT&T Next cost for a 64GB iPhone costing $749, is $37.45 per month (I know as took that route last year). As taxes must be paid up front regardless that does not enter into the discussion. Both plan allow for early termination by paying off the remaining payments, but again, you wind up paying an extra $29.92 going with the Apple plan if you decide to keep the phone thru term OR if you pay it off early.
Trying to compare this new plan to the old 2 year contract with subsidy is misleading as it should be compared to similar plans that all 4 of the major telcos offer.
If you are trading in the phone every year, does Apple Care really provide any value since a new phone has a 1year warranty? You get 2 accident events covered with AC, but still have $80/100 charge plus tax for those. I would think that the most common accident is broken screen which historically has only been about $100 to repair.
If you are trading in the phone every year, does Apple Care really provide any value since a new phone has a 1year warranty? You get 2 accident events covered with AC, but still have $80/100 charge plus tax for those. I would think that the most common accident is broken screen which historically has only been about $100 to repair.
You are probably right ... the warranty is mostly only if you intend to keep the phone for more than a year. oth, AppleCare only provides 90 days of support, so you are getting factory tech support for the whole year.
If you are trading in the phone every year, does Apple Care really provide any value since a new phone has a 1year warranty? You get 2 accident events covered with AC, but still have $80/100 charge plus tax for those. I would think that the most common accident is broken screen which historically has only been about $100 to repair.
IIRC the replacement charge if you damage the phone is less with Applecare+, there's some flat fees listed last time I looked. The warranty covers a bad phone but not your dropping it or busting a screen etc.
I think this could be VERY disruptive to the carriers. If you're buying/leasing your phone directly from Apple, you're free to chase whatever carrier offers the best price or service. If people really go for this, I think we could see prices for service plummet.
Not sure, but I think with this plan you can keep your current carrier plan. It will be considered an unlocked phone in a contract through Apple. So I don't think your unlimited plan will go anywhere.
I have one too so I'd like to know for sure.
Not sure, but I think with this plan you can keep your current carrier plan. It will be considered an unlocked phone in a contract through Apple. So I don't think your unlimited plan will go anywhere.
I have one too so I'd like to know for sure.
I would think that if you are just moving your SIM from one phone to the other, ATT really doesn't care (or even have to know.) I have a grandfathered iPad plan and I have upgraded continually without any issues.
Am I missing something, or can an unlocked phone be used with any carrier that'll take it?
If I wanted to use a prepaid plan, it could be significantly cheaper, in my situation. Plus yearly upgrades.
I did a bit of math, from my current carrier with a 24 month installment plan, combined with my cell plan, I pay ~$90/month. If I went ahead and paid off the installment plan in a lump sum, then got a phone through this program (I'd go for a Plus, so it'd be ~$41 per month), then a comparable prepaid plan on the site I was looking for, I'd be paying ~$65/month total. AND I'd get an upgrade every 12 months. Plus, the prepaid provider buys from the same carrier network I'm on now, so the coverage wouldn't change at all. It doesn't seem to be that much different when you pay at the beginning of the month instead of after.
I'm waiting to find out this wouldn't be an option, somehow.
I, too, have my grandfathered unlimited data plan, which I want to keep.
My current 2 year contract on AT&T is over in November. I would think that I should just be able to get the new 6s at launch through Apple's monthly plan and NOT have to wait until my 2 year contract is up in November.
Is that how everyone else interprets this?
I went to the Apple Store app on my iPhone to "get ready for the upgrade" and it didn't allow me an option to sign up for the Apple upgrade program. It's still treating me as thought I must wait out until I'm eligible for an ATT upgrade.
Thoughts?
I did the same and got the same options. I'm guessing because you're not to term with your contract with AT&T Apple is not going to provide you the ? upgrade program until your contract is through with AT&T and you have "successfully" paid off the remaining cost of your subsidized phone.
I don't see this as all that great a plan compared to what the telcos are offering. Granted you do get an unlocked phone and they roll the cost of Apple Care into the monthly fee, but......
Run the numbers and you will see that if run to term the payout over 24 months for a 64GB iP6s comes to $877.92. The actual phone cost is $749.00. Apple Care is $99.00. Combined $848. So there is a discrepancy between the cost and the payout over 24 months. Also this is NOT a 1st party plan, but one that Apple is offering thru Citizens One and it appears that they are charging a relatively small fee of $1.25 a month, while a plan like AT&T Next has NO fee, but you do have to pay for Apple Care upfront, at least that was the case last year. The AT&T Next cost for a 64GB iPhone costing $749, is $37.45 per month (I know as took that route last year). As taxes must be paid up front regardless that does not enter into the discussion. Both plan allow for early termination by paying off the remaining payments, but again, you wind up paying an extra $29.92 going with the Apple plan if you decide to keep the phone thru term OR if you pay it off early.
Trying to compare this new plan to the old 2 year contract with subsidy is misleading as it should be compared to similar plans that all 4 of the major telcos offer.
AppleCare+ is now $129, so that wipes out the $29.92 difference in your comparison, so now one would be paying $0.08 less going with the Apple plan. And as SupaDav03 pointed out, it would seem that you'd be able to change carriers at will without any kind of penalty (i.e., paying off the phone in full, or having to turn it in and get a new one) if you're not under a carrier contract, since you are continuing to pay Apple for the phone and not the carrier.
I did the same and got the same options. I'm guessing because you're not to term with your contract with AT&T Apple is not going to provide you the ? upgrade program until your contract is through with AT&T and you have "successfully" paid off the remaining cost of your subsidized phone.
It (iPhone Upgrade Program) may appear as an option later in the checkout process that isn't available until the pre-order goes live, it's a little peculiar in that it requires an in-store pickup so it might be linked to pickup options etc. It'd be an offshoot of full price so maybe not linked to carrier upgrades? When I check my "available pricing" the subsidized carrier prices of the NEXT plan are listed as available in May of next year (18 months into my plan), while the full cost is shown as available "today"... and the iPhone Upgrade Program is in effect full cost, just amortized with a trade-in option after 12 months.