-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
iPhone 7 | OT | Pre-order Sept 9, Available Sept 16
- Thread starter wachie
- Start date
I imagine it's going to vary of course, but for the 6S I also found it to be a bit of a clusterfuck. I had two T-Mobile stores near me and both of them had stock issues. Went to a third one the next town over and they had computer issues because they were 'slammed' and the system couldn't handle it.
Guess we just had different experiences. I pre-ordered mine through the phone on the day preorders opened (since they don't even do preorders online for JOD) and they had a ton of technical problems. They wouldn't accept my card at all (this was a known problem for a lot of people) and I had to try and call multiple times throughout the weekend to finally get it to work. They also had issues with properly explaining they're promo to everyone, to the point where people had to ignore customer service and email the CEO himself to get the right answer.
Not saying tmobile is shitty, they just had quite a bit of issues during the last launch for a lot of people. Probably gonna just switch over to the iPhone upgrade plan next time.
ClayKavalier
Banned
How does the upgrade program work with T-Mobile? I currently have Verizon but my contract is up in about a month and I'm planning to switch to T-Mobile. I wanted to sign up for the upgrade program on Friday if I can get a preorder in just to guarantee I can find one, but Apple's site says T-Mobile phones are only available in store.
I've never bought an unlocked phone before. Can I order a Verizon 7 from the upgrade program, put the SIM from my 5S in it, use it until the end of the month then switch to a T-Mobile SIM? Do I need to wait and get one at a T-Mobile retail place?
Also, sorry to ask another dumb question but Google hasn't been much help, but how exactly does the upgrade program work? It says I have to sign a two year contract but I can swap to a new phone after I've made 12 payments (and at least six months have passed). But it says in order to do that I have to sign a new contract. Does that new contract replace the old one, or would I still have one year of payments from the previous contract plus two more from the new one?
I've never bought an unlocked phone before. Can I order a Verizon 7 from the upgrade program, put the SIM from my 5S in it, use it until the end of the month then switch to a T-Mobile SIM? Do I need to wait and get one at a T-Mobile retail place?
Also, sorry to ask another dumb question but Google hasn't been much help, but how exactly does the upgrade program work? It says I have to sign a two year contract but I can swap to a new phone after I've made 12 payments (and at least six months have passed). But it says in order to do that I have to sign a new contract. Does that new contract replace the old one, or would I still have one year of payments from the previous contract plus two more from the new one?
Zeyphersan
Banned
I think tomorrow I'm just going to write out a huge post about the upgrade program. Prices, how it works, what the upgrade process looks like, everything
I'll get started on that now
I'll get started on that now
can i trade in my PSP to get a apple watch and still keep my unlimited data?
With Jump you get to upgrade your phone but you still have to pay off your current phone so I think it's not all what it's cracked up to be. When I first heard about it I thought when you choose to upgrade, your current phone gets paid off fully and you get to start a new contract with a new phone but that's not the case.
EightBitNate
Member
Can I ask what your background is? Really looking forward to the post.
Zeyphersan
Banned
I do this for a living 😉
EightBitNate
Member
Zeyphersan
Banned
Okay, not that good of a living
I have a bluetooth headphone, but they're still wired together. I was looking at the Bragi Headphone and its going for $120, obviously they're both not on the market yet.
At a carrier?
So I just did this research, could you tell me if I'm right? I'll cross post my Reddit thread
Zeyphersan
Banned
At the source for all this nonsense. But like the retail source not the headquarters source
You're correct, but without knowing the specifics of her plan (I don't think they offer it anymore) it's hard to predict what the line access fee is going to change to. In general, your wireless bill consists of:
Data payment + Phone Payment + Line Access Fee
That formula is true across all carriers, though the numbers vary wildly. In the old days of two year contracts, the phone payments was all handled up front for a subsidized cost, the data payment was what it was, and the line access fee was $40 or close enough not to matter. When those two years were up the line access fee dropped (or didn't, in the old old days) and you were free to upgrade. Now carriers don't really do that anymore, you pay for the device on a monthly basis and they compensate by lowering your device somewhere in the realm of $20.
The general rule of thumb is this: barring promotions and what have you, you're pretty much going to be paying full retail price for the phone no matter how you choose to upgrade assuming you see the contract to its end. Or it's so close as to not really matter much money wise. Upgrade with the best offer you can find
preorders start on friday
I sure hope she can keep her plan. I think worst case scenario, she should just buy the phone outright from Apple with the monthly payments. Assuming her access fee drops to 20$, this would be the same thing as upgrading through carrier right?
And am I right in calculating that it actually costs more to buy it subsidized and keep for two years vs monthly payments? Weird
200+(20*24) = 680
27.08 * 24 = 650~
Zeyphersan
Banned
The actual calculations will be different because Verizon has various rules about early upgrades and stuff like that. As for comparisons to the iPhone Upgrade Program stay tuned...
No early upgrades in my question.
It was a comparison between payment plans of contract pricing vs monthly payment pricing through Verizon
Wouldn't recommend getting that jet black version if you want to go naked
ok, regular black it is ...
... or rose gold!
Daffy Duck
Member
I take it this comes with a set of headphones that work off the charging port (forgive me I don't know it's official name).
Yup, Lightning EarPods and also a 3.5mm to Lightning adapter in the box.
Zeyphersan
Banned
Alright then let's do it then
Subsidized: $200 phone + ($40*24 months) + $40 activation = $1,200 over two years, not including the plan itself
Device Payment: Tax on the retail price of the phone (variable) + ($27.08*24) + ($20*24) + $20 activation = $1149.92 plus that tax up front plus the data
So the same
Goodness me.
I find it insane how the prices have risen in the last years.
The entry level iPhone 4 was 600.
The entry level iPhone 6 was 700.
The entry level iPhone 6S was 749.
The entry level iPhone 7 is 769.
A 28% increase in 6 years.
The entry level 6 Plus was 799.
The entry level 6S Plus was 859.
The entry level 7 Plus is 909.
A 14% increase in 2 years.
The mid-capacity 6 Plus was 900
The mid-capacity 6S Plus was 969
The mid-capacity 7 Plus is 1019.
A 13% increase in 2 years.
Not to mention what they did to the iPad prices.
I'm not falling for this shit.
The entry level iPhone 4 was 600.
The entry level iPhone 6 was 700.
The entry level iPhone 6S was 749.
The entry level iPhone 7 is 769.
A 28% increase in 6 years.
The entry level 6 Plus was 799.
The entry level 6S Plus was 859.
The entry level 7 Plus is 909.
A 14% increase in 2 years.
The mid-capacity 6 Plus was 900
The mid-capacity 6S Plus was 969
The mid-capacity 7 Plus is 1019.
A 13% increase in 2 years.
Not to mention what they did to the iPad prices.
I'm not falling for this shit.
Hidden One
Member
Wouldn't recommend getting that jet black version if you want to go naked
Would never go naked on a phone this day in age. Some sort of case with a Zagg HD glass.
cyberheater
PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
The best phones in the world cost money.
been naked since 2007. love it
Dread to think what next years model will cost with all the rumours surrounding that.
Zeyphersan
Banned
Now I know why your wife was complaining about the new dongles
badcrumble
Member
Does the iPad Pro have special sensors it uses to accomplish that outside of the basic camera/whatever the screen uses to automatically set the brightness?
KennyLinder
Member
Amazing.
I paid AU$899 for the iPhone 4s 32gb.
Approx Au$930 for iPhone 64gb in Malaysia. I think it was $999 in Australia.
The iPhone 7 mid tier if I were to get it is $1200? The iPhone 7 plus mid tier is $1400 with the new dual camera.
That's a $400 increase in 2 years for me...
Miss.Selfdestruct
Member
*looks at prices and specs*
Welp... iPhone 6S+ will be my last.
Welp... iPhone 6S+ will be my last.
Zeyphersan
Banned
I was under the assumption it had a special new sensor, yes
Zeyphersan
Banned
So I have this giant post typed out going through the iPhone Upgrade Program, all the nitty-gritty details, what the process looks like, everything. I put a lot of care into it
Suddenly I realized that Apple updated their iUP landing page with actually legitimately useful information and it's all right there and takes a minute to read instead of my 10 minutes:
http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
I can still post mine and stick around to help out with the details if you guys want, but it's all sincerely covered there. Including the new stuff like applying online that wasn't available before
Suddenly I realized that Apple updated their iUP landing page with actually legitimately useful information and it's all right there and takes a minute to read instead of my 10 minutes:
http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
I can still post mine and stick around to help out with the details if you guys want, but it's all sincerely covered there. Including the new stuff like applying online that wasn't available before
Would appreciate if you still posted it. This whole thing still confuses me with the credit checks and what not
TheGuardian
Member
Sorry if this has been answered a thousand times already, but what time do preorders open, and is it the same time worldwide?
KennyLinder
Member
I think it's 8:01am UK, not sure on US times.
I use T-Mobile $30/mo prepaid and love it. I don't want to switch. Had it for about 3 years and don't plan to change it anytime soon.
Can I use the apple upgrade program if this is my carrier and plan?
*edit* looking at the FAQ it says prepaid doesn't qualify. Man. So much discrimination against people who use prepaid when it comes to getting new phones... guess i'm buying full price again up front.
Can I use the apple upgrade program if this is my carrier and plan?
*edit* looking at the FAQ it says prepaid doesn't qualify. Man. So much discrimination against people who use prepaid when it comes to getting new phones... guess i'm buying full price again up front.
Yikes.
eyeball_kid
Member
Damn, I just assumed it did when they announced the wide color gamut. That's a shame considering how game-changing I've heard it is. Seem really weird to only put that on the iPad. The feature matrix for different iOS devices is getting pretty complex these days.
Zeyphersan
Banned
HELLO EVERYBODY AND WELCOME TO THE IPHONE UPGRADE PROGRAM POWER HOUR
I'm your host Zeyphersan. You may know me from every fucking Apple thread on this godforsaken site because I really have nothing better to do with my time. There have been a lot (and I mean a lot of questions these past few days surrounding Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program. Which is understandable since it's a great alternative to the carrier's options. But this also means that there's a lot of room for things to be cleared up. Not for good, since I know that never works, but maybe this can help a few people. And maybe, just maybe, you can refer people in the future to this post. It will be updated as things change, of course, as they do. Apple likes to change things, sometimes just a few millimeters at a time. There's also an actually, truly helpful website that Apple just updated with all the new details you can check out, it might save you some time: http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
Who am I? Well I'm someone who's on the program itself so I know what the process looks like from the outside. But I also work at those glorious Apple Stores (or I think it's just Apple now, silly me) so I know what goes on inside as well. At least at the retail side which is where this is most important. I'm not going to post anything to "prove" it since I like my job too much, so either believe me or don't. But once again I sort of live in these Apple threads.
Let's get started!*
*All information henceforth will be about the iPhone Upgrade Program, hereby known as iUP, in the United States of America as that is where I work. I don't know how the other countries work and cannot help you there. Also this information is current as to my knowledge both this year and last year, but some things may legitimately change for this launch vs the 6s. I'll provide updated information as soon as I get it, if something I say is incorrect it is not meant to be intentionally misleading. Sorry!
PART ONE: WHAT US THE IPHONE UPGRADE PROGRAM?
Great question! iUP is a program provided by Apple as an alternative to both upgrading through your carrier on their subsidized or device payment plans or paying full price for your shiny new phone. Traditionally, even at the Apple Store, people upgrade their phones by starting a contract with their carrier, either through a two year contract or by starting a payment plan for their device, to be paid off in a set amount of time. With some exceptions both of these options come out to be about the same price give or take, unless you're one of those people still on the AT&T unlimited plans, because AT&T truly, truly hates you.
So what's the difference? With iUP you're making monthly payments to Apple for your device instead of having something else added to your carrier bill. There are some advantages (and potentially disadvantages) to this method, which we'll discuss further. But as a brief overview:
iUP is a program that allows you to upgrade to a new iPhone every single year. It's sort of Apple's admission that yes, every single year at the time time they come out with a new phone so they might as well make it easy to stay on the latest and greatest. You make monthly payments on your phone, and after 12 payments you're free to trade that phone in to Apple and hop onto a new one. It's honestly pretty easy. The mechanics behind the program are as follows:
1) You're paying for the full retail price of the phone plus AppleCare+ over a period of 24 months. After 12 you can upgrade, after 24 you own the phone and don't have to trade it in. Legally speaking it is not a lease since there is no purchase option at the end, you just own it.
2) Because it includes AppleCare, you have the extended warranty should you decide to keep your phone for the full 24 months, and you have two incidents of accidental damage at the Genius Bar
3) The phone is unlocked and can be used with any carrier (there is a caveat to this)
4) You are technically starting a loan with a bank Apple contracts with, CitizensOne. It's a 24 month, interest-free loan, but it is still a loan nonetheless. That means there is an application involved
5) The minimum length of time to be in this commitment is 6 months. After that time you can pay yo to 12 months and get into a new phone, or pay up to 24 months and own the phone. There is nothing that can be done prior to that 6 month mark
6) Yes you can sign up for iUP if you are still on a contract but you are STILL ON THAT CONTRACT. You are obligated to pay it off or wait it out, nothing Apple can do to get you out of that. If you're already on a device payment plan with your carrier and choose to sign up it's possible, but know that you're now on the hook for both payments
Dont worry, we still have yet to get into the REAL nitty-gritty.
PART TWO: FIRST TIMERS
So you're interested in the program, but what does this whole thing look like? Well it all has to take place at a physical Apple Store with an actual human being getting you through this process. To be honest I'm not actually positive the mechanisms behind preorders this year, but if they are like last year:
On the website pick the model you want, and select iPhone Upgrade Program as your desired way to purchase. It should list out local Apple Stores and reservation times for you to pop in and get this thing done. I don't know what it's going to look like as preorders start getting back-ordered. I assume mass chaos. This part is very likely it be updated. But the moral of the story is: preorder online at 12AM Pacific Time this Friday (that's Thursday night for people who think like I do) and try your best to get the phone you want.
!!!SUPER ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!
The first time around you could only upgrade at an actual physical store, but this time around it looks like they're letting you apply online. I have, legitimately, no idea what this process looks like. It could be that they let you do the whole thing online, it could be that they're just letting you pick times online to go pick it up in store. This is all new to me, so we'll have to find out what it looks like in a couple days together. The rest of my information will be based on the IN-STORE experience since that is the known variable as of right now. As far as I can tell all upgrades from previous years have to be done in the store anyway
THINGS YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY:
1) An existing post-paid wireless account with one of the four carriers that Apple officially supports: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. Nothing else works. Nothing! No MVNOs, no prepaid accounts, nothing. "But Zeyphersan," I hear you saying, "I thought you said the phone was unlocked!" Well it is.... but it still has to be activated on one of those carriers. I guess after the preorders have settled down you can walk in and make a new account with one of them and then start iUP on that new plan but it's a hassle and takes a long time. Know your account information beforehand. It also has to be a personal account, not business or coorporate account. And yes because it's an activation there might be an acitivation fee from your carrier. Nothing can be done about this. But after it's activated it's an unlocked phone I promise!
2) A personal credit (NOT DEBIT) card and your social security number. Business credit card also doesn't work, it has to be personal with enough free credit on there for three months of payments. Why is this required? We'll remember how I said before that this whole thing is technically, legally a loan you're applying for? Yep, credit check. A hard inquiry that will show up on your report. It's a pretty basic check and doesn't really have a lot of requirements, but it's there. Last year there were so many checks getting run at once that CitizensOne got overloaded and people were great credit were being denied. If that happens again.... sorry. Not really much the person helping you can do about it, don't yell at them.
3) Your ID. Please please please don't forget your ID. Apple has an official list of what counts, you have no excuse: http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/forms-of-id.html
4) Your winning smile. Attaboy.
When you're picking up your phone and you've gone through the process you will be charged the tax on the full retail price of the phone plus the first month's payment. Both of those are easy to figure out, as tax is obviously determined wherever you live and the monthly payment is (RRP+$129)/24 months. If you're choosing to recycle your phone through Apple, which you can totally do, the value of that phone will be added back as a credit on the card that you used to sign up with. Your monthly payments do not decrease. Once you're all signed up you will be mailed a loan letter giving you the ability to access your loan online and check your balance and change the payment method to another credit card or a checking account. And just like that you're done! See you in 12 months!
PART THREE: THE RETURNING VETERANS
Welcome back you old bastards. So you realized that your 6s Plus that was all shiny and new a year ago isn't so shiny and new anymore. Now there's a new phone you want it. Holy shit do you want it. Well luckily you're on the right plan. You did all that baby stuff before last year, welcome to middle school. I'm just going to jump right into it
NOTE: THIS IS THE SECTION THAT IS MOST LIKELY TO BE UPDATED LATER ONCE I GET NEW INFORMATION ON HOW UPGRADES WILL WORK. WHAT I HAVE NOW IS HOW THE UPGRADE PROCESS WENT IF YOU "BOUGHT UP" TO A YEAR SOMETIME IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS
1) Preorder like you were planning to anyway. It doesn't looks like upgrades can be done online at all like new enrollments. Bring your phone and ID and account information and credit card and all that, just like before. It does still have to be activated on the big 4 carriers, there will be another activation fee. Also make an iOS backup before arriving at the store, don't be that guy
2) Your phone will be examined for damage, including, and this is super important, the Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) located in the SIM tray of your phone. If there is any damage, and if that sensor is tripped at all, you're gonna have to pay the applicable indecent fee (either $29 or $99 depending on the damage) to finish the upgrade. It doesn't matter if the phone is working fine, if that LCI is red be prepared to pay $99 to rectify it. If you check before and notice a red LCI and try to remove it before coming in thinking you're clever you're not, you're just not leaving with a new phone. Once again, don't be that guy. The phones come with AppleCare to make this part easy
3) Trading in your old phone closes out the remaining balance on your loan, and hopping onto a new phone means opening a new loan. YES, THIS MEANS ANOTHER APPLICATION AND ANOTHER HARD INQUIRY ON YOUR CREDIT. The credit card and social security number are super important to have this time around for this reason. Once again don't yell at the poor retail person about this, they don't make the rules.
It should honestly be a simple and straightforward process that totally mirrors the first time, just with you giving up your old phone. And you get to leave with a new phone. Lucky you!
PART FOUR: WHAT IF I WANT LOWER PAYMENTS/NO APPLECARE/A DATE WITH ANNA KENDRICK?
Yes, there is a sister to the iUP program: iPhone Installment Program. It's mostly boring: 24 months, no early upgrade, no AppleCare as part of the cost, and any phone you trade in towards it lowers the monthly payments instead of being put back as credit on your card. Still has the same application process. It's safe and boring but it's there if you want it
I'll be around if you have any questions, and honestly the retail people know their stuff. And if they don't, someone in that building does. If you have more questions I'll be around as well, and there's also the official page like I linked before, all fresh and updated: http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
Any comparisons to carrier plans I won't be able to do since there's so, so many different options out there. You'll have to do a little bit of your own research. I'm not here to sell you on iUP like it's the best program ever with no downsides, because it's not true. Sometimes carriers offer great options. I'm just giving you information. Good luck and happy preordering
Sent from my iPad Pro
I'm your host Zeyphersan. You may know me from every fucking Apple thread on this godforsaken site because I really have nothing better to do with my time. There have been a lot (and I mean a lot of questions these past few days surrounding Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program. Which is understandable since it's a great alternative to the carrier's options. But this also means that there's a lot of room for things to be cleared up. Not for good, since I know that never works, but maybe this can help a few people. And maybe, just maybe, you can refer people in the future to this post. It will be updated as things change, of course, as they do. Apple likes to change things, sometimes just a few millimeters at a time. There's also an actually, truly helpful website that Apple just updated with all the new details you can check out, it might save you some time: http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
Who am I? Well I'm someone who's on the program itself so I know what the process looks like from the outside. But I also work at those glorious Apple Stores (or I think it's just Apple now, silly me) so I know what goes on inside as well. At least at the retail side which is where this is most important. I'm not going to post anything to "prove" it since I like my job too much, so either believe me or don't. But once again I sort of live in these Apple threads.
Let's get started!*
*All information henceforth will be about the iPhone Upgrade Program, hereby known as iUP, in the United States of America as that is where I work. I don't know how the other countries work and cannot help you there. Also this information is current as to my knowledge both this year and last year, but some things may legitimately change for this launch vs the 6s. I'll provide updated information as soon as I get it, if something I say is incorrect it is not meant to be intentionally misleading. Sorry!
PART ONE: WHAT US THE IPHONE UPGRADE PROGRAM?
Great question! iUP is a program provided by Apple as an alternative to both upgrading through your carrier on their subsidized or device payment plans or paying full price for your shiny new phone. Traditionally, even at the Apple Store, people upgrade their phones by starting a contract with their carrier, either through a two year contract or by starting a payment plan for their device, to be paid off in a set amount of time. With some exceptions both of these options come out to be about the same price give or take, unless you're one of those people still on the AT&T unlimited plans, because AT&T truly, truly hates you.
So what's the difference? With iUP you're making monthly payments to Apple for your device instead of having something else added to your carrier bill. There are some advantages (and potentially disadvantages) to this method, which we'll discuss further. But as a brief overview:
iUP is a program that allows you to upgrade to a new iPhone every single year. It's sort of Apple's admission that yes, every single year at the time time they come out with a new phone so they might as well make it easy to stay on the latest and greatest. You make monthly payments on your phone, and after 12 payments you're free to trade that phone in to Apple and hop onto a new one. It's honestly pretty easy. The mechanics behind the program are as follows:
1) You're paying for the full retail price of the phone plus AppleCare+ over a period of 24 months. After 12 you can upgrade, after 24 you own the phone and don't have to trade it in. Legally speaking it is not a lease since there is no purchase option at the end, you just own it.
2) Because it includes AppleCare, you have the extended warranty should you decide to keep your phone for the full 24 months, and you have two incidents of accidental damage at the Genius Bar
3) The phone is unlocked and can be used with any carrier (there is a caveat to this)
4) You are technically starting a loan with a bank Apple contracts with, CitizensOne. It's a 24 month, interest-free loan, but it is still a loan nonetheless. That means there is an application involved
5) The minimum length of time to be in this commitment is 6 months. After that time you can pay yo to 12 months and get into a new phone, or pay up to 24 months and own the phone. There is nothing that can be done prior to that 6 month mark
6) Yes you can sign up for iUP if you are still on a contract but you are STILL ON THAT CONTRACT. You are obligated to pay it off or wait it out, nothing Apple can do to get you out of that. If you're already on a device payment plan with your carrier and choose to sign up it's possible, but know that you're now on the hook for both payments
Dont worry, we still have yet to get into the REAL nitty-gritty.
PART TWO: FIRST TIMERS
So you're interested in the program, but what does this whole thing look like? Well it all has to take place at a physical Apple Store with an actual human being getting you through this process. To be honest I'm not actually positive the mechanisms behind preorders this year, but if they are like last year:
On the website pick the model you want, and select iPhone Upgrade Program as your desired way to purchase. It should list out local Apple Stores and reservation times for you to pop in and get this thing done. I don't know what it's going to look like as preorders start getting back-ordered. I assume mass chaos. This part is very likely it be updated. But the moral of the story is: preorder online at 12AM Pacific Time this Friday (that's Thursday night for people who think like I do) and try your best to get the phone you want.
!!!SUPER ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!
The first time around you could only upgrade at an actual physical store, but this time around it looks like they're letting you apply online. I have, legitimately, no idea what this process looks like. It could be that they let you do the whole thing online, it could be that they're just letting you pick times online to go pick it up in store. This is all new to me, so we'll have to find out what it looks like in a couple days together. The rest of my information will be based on the IN-STORE experience since that is the known variable as of right now. As far as I can tell all upgrades from previous years have to be done in the store anyway
THINGS YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY:
1) An existing post-paid wireless account with one of the four carriers that Apple officially supports: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. Nothing else works. Nothing! No MVNOs, no prepaid accounts, nothing. "But Zeyphersan," I hear you saying, "I thought you said the phone was unlocked!" Well it is.... but it still has to be activated on one of those carriers. I guess after the preorders have settled down you can walk in and make a new account with one of them and then start iUP on that new plan but it's a hassle and takes a long time. Know your account information beforehand. It also has to be a personal account, not business or coorporate account. And yes because it's an activation there might be an acitivation fee from your carrier. Nothing can be done about this. But after it's activated it's an unlocked phone I promise!
2) A personal credit (NOT DEBIT) card and your social security number. Business credit card also doesn't work, it has to be personal with enough free credit on there for three months of payments. Why is this required? We'll remember how I said before that this whole thing is technically, legally a loan you're applying for? Yep, credit check. A hard inquiry that will show up on your report. It's a pretty basic check and doesn't really have a lot of requirements, but it's there. Last year there were so many checks getting run at once that CitizensOne got overloaded and people were great credit were being denied. If that happens again.... sorry. Not really much the person helping you can do about it, don't yell at them.
3) Your ID. Please please please don't forget your ID. Apple has an official list of what counts, you have no excuse: http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/forms-of-id.html
4) Your winning smile. Attaboy.
When you're picking up your phone and you've gone through the process you will be charged the tax on the full retail price of the phone plus the first month's payment. Both of those are easy to figure out, as tax is obviously determined wherever you live and the monthly payment is (RRP+$129)/24 months. If you're choosing to recycle your phone through Apple, which you can totally do, the value of that phone will be added back as a credit on the card that you used to sign up with. Your monthly payments do not decrease. Once you're all signed up you will be mailed a loan letter giving you the ability to access your loan online and check your balance and change the payment method to another credit card or a checking account. And just like that you're done! See you in 12 months!
PART THREE: THE RETURNING VETERANS
Welcome back you old bastards. So you realized that your 6s Plus that was all shiny and new a year ago isn't so shiny and new anymore. Now there's a new phone you want it. Holy shit do you want it. Well luckily you're on the right plan. You did all that baby stuff before last year, welcome to middle school. I'm just going to jump right into it
NOTE: THIS IS THE SECTION THAT IS MOST LIKELY TO BE UPDATED LATER ONCE I GET NEW INFORMATION ON HOW UPGRADES WILL WORK. WHAT I HAVE NOW IS HOW THE UPGRADE PROCESS WENT IF YOU "BOUGHT UP" TO A YEAR SOMETIME IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS
1) Preorder like you were planning to anyway. It doesn't looks like upgrades can be done online at all like new enrollments. Bring your phone and ID and account information and credit card and all that, just like before. It does still have to be activated on the big 4 carriers, there will be another activation fee. Also make an iOS backup before arriving at the store, don't be that guy
2) Your phone will be examined for damage, including, and this is super important, the Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) located in the SIM tray of your phone. If there is any damage, and if that sensor is tripped at all, you're gonna have to pay the applicable indecent fee (either $29 or $99 depending on the damage) to finish the upgrade. It doesn't matter if the phone is working fine, if that LCI is red be prepared to pay $99 to rectify it. If you check before and notice a red LCI and try to remove it before coming in thinking you're clever you're not, you're just not leaving with a new phone. Once again, don't be that guy. The phones come with AppleCare to make this part easy
3) Trading in your old phone closes out the remaining balance on your loan, and hopping onto a new phone means opening a new loan. YES, THIS MEANS ANOTHER APPLICATION AND ANOTHER HARD INQUIRY ON YOUR CREDIT. The credit card and social security number are super important to have this time around for this reason. Once again don't yell at the poor retail person about this, they don't make the rules.
It should honestly be a simple and straightforward process that totally mirrors the first time, just with you giving up your old phone. And you get to leave with a new phone. Lucky you!
PART FOUR: WHAT IF I WANT LOWER PAYMENTS/NO APPLECARE/A DATE WITH ANNA KENDRICK?
Yes, there is a sister to the iUP program: iPhone Installment Program. It's mostly boring: 24 months, no early upgrade, no AppleCare as part of the cost, and any phone you trade in towards it lowers the monthly payments instead of being put back as credit on your card. Still has the same application process. It's safe and boring but it's there if you want it
I'll be around if you have any questions, and honestly the retail people know their stuff. And if they don't, someone in that building does. If you have more questions I'll be around as well, and there's also the official page like I linked before, all fresh and updated: http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
Any comparisons to carrier plans I won't be able to do since there's so, so many different options out there. You'll have to do a little bit of your own research. I'm not here to sell you on iUP like it's the best program ever with no downsides, because it's not true. Sometimes carriers offer great options. I'm just giving you information. Good luck and happy preordering
Sent from my iPad Pro
