iPhone X all the fuss about iPhone prices...

[joeblow7777]

It’s a genuine shame you get offended so quick. Whatever floats your boat. Let me ask, are you mad because it’s not a lease like you said? I’d like to know if you want to answer if not, good day.

I’m not mad at all.

I don’t know what I said that would make you think so.

You’re the one who got snarky, and frankly, a little defensive about it. If it means so much to you, okay, it’s not a lease! It’s a different arrangement where you pay for something that you don’t intend to keep and then give it back, or pay more if you decide to keep it after all.

 

[Ortiz83]

I’m not mad at all.

I don’t know what I said that would make you think so.

You’re the one who got snarky, and frankly, a little defensive about it. If it means so much to you, okay, it’s not a lease! It’s a different arrangement where you pay for something that you don’t intend to keep and then give it back, or pay more if you decide to keep it after all.

Snarky I can see. It took all that back and forth for you to realize it wasn’t a lease. That was it. Nothing wrong with you saying it was a lease. I just simply corrected you by saying it’s not a lease. It means so much to me knowing you know it’s not a lease now.

 

[razmonster]

You have been arguing with those of us who have told you from the start, that you have been doing nothing more than leasing a phone. And you finally admit such here.

because it's not a lease. it's a payment plan that i happen to be using LIKE a lease at my discretion. i know the difference. there ARE phone leasing programs available but that is not what i have.

 

[joeblow7777]

Snarky I can see. It took all that back and forth for you to realize it wasn’t a lease. That was it. Nothing wrong with you saying it was a lease. I just simply corrected you by saying it’s not a lease. It means so much to me knowing you know it’s not a lease now.

Your responses are... odd, but if that’s all you wanted to hear, then okay.

Wait, why did it matter whether or not it’s a lease again? That wasn’t even my original point.

 

[The.Glorious.Son]

I admit that I have not read all seven pages as petty bickering is not my thing. But why are so many people put off by the OP's decision to use a payment plan that allows him to a) trade the phone in, in 12 months, and get a different one or b) pay off the phone at any point within 24 months? It is zero interest. It isn't costing him anything more than a person who buys outright. He could decide that making payments for 11 months is better for his current financial situation but by the time 11 months rolls around, he'll have cash laying around to pay it off. In that scenario, he didn't pay any more money than someone who bought outright, he possessed the phone just like anyone else, and he could still sell it vs rolling into a new lease if he chooses to. He has given himself options that perhaps he deems preferential or necessary given circumstances that none of you are privy to. If you want to pay all of the money up front for your phone, more power to you. But you only 'own' your phone more than the OP in theory. He can decide at any moment to pay it off and have the same amount of 'ownership' as you.

 

[pdxmatts]

I admit that I have not read all seven pages as petty bickering is not my thing. But why are so many people put off by the OP's decision to use a payment plan that allows him to a) trade the phone in, in 12 months, and get a different one or b) pay off the phone at any point within 24 months? It is zero interest. It isn't costing him anything more than a person who buys outright. He could decide that making payments for 11 months is better for his current financial situation but by the time 11 months rolls around, he'll have cash laying around to pay it off. In that scenario, he didn't pay any more money that someone who bought outright, he possessed the phone just like anyone else, and he could still sell it vs rolling into a new lease if he chooses to. He has given himself options that perhaps he deems preferential or necessary given circumstances that none of you are privy to. If you want to pay all of the money up front for your phone, more power to you. But you only 'own' your phone more than the OP in theory. He can decide at any moment pay it off and have the same amount of 'ownership' as you.

Finally, someone who gets it These payment plans really help people who can't come up with $1000-$1500 all at once. Especially if you have to buy more than one device and you can't beat the Bogo deals offered on the payment plans.

 

[Dld23]

Its not renting really.. if its the phone you want, you can pay until its paid off and you own it. You dont have to trade it in.

 

[razmonster]

this topic was started to have a conversation about different ways someone can purchase an iPhone.

some of you have been hell bent on making it about economics and passing judgment for someone doing something differently than you.

the OP was not a Bat signal for everyone's financial planning advice. it's a freaking cellphone. not a car, not a boat not a house.... it's REALLY not that serious. if you don't like the way or don't agree with how i purchase my iphone that is OK and you're obviously free to state your opinion and I'll consider anything that is a thought-out and valid statement.

some of you just seem so bothered for no obvious reason about how someone else spends their money i don't understand.

i know what I'm doing and why.....never at any point did i ask for anyone's opinion or help because i don't need it. I'm good.

half of you probably have bad credit and aren't able to finance a cell phone with a carrier at all and don't have a choice BUT to buy it full retail up front....but that's none of my business

 

[razmonster]

Finally, someone who gets it These payment plans really help people who can't come up with $1000-1500.00 all at once. Especially if you have to buy more than one device.

this is true but also not everyone does a payment plan because they have to. it's an interest free plan so what difference does it really make

 

[Ortiz83]

Your responses are... odd, but if that’s all you wanted to hear, then okay.

Wait, why did it matter whether or not it’s a lease again? That wasn’t even my original point.

Even if it wasn’t the point, it’s still something you said. And I said something about it.

 

[Steve686]

1. On ATT Next when you “buy” the phone with monthly interest free payments, you pay off the full retail price of the phone over time. Or, if you choose, you pay enough of the retail balance owed to upgrade the line early with a new phone.

2. When you pay enough on this system to “early upgrade” you turn in the phone forgoing the balance that is owed on the phone, then proceed to set up a new Next agreement. The balance you did owe is roughly half the retail price of the phone, for example. If you were to fully pay off the phone and sell it, you may get a little more than the same amount that ATT has absorbed if you trade the phone in. This essentially means turning it in or selling it on your own accord works out approximately the same.

Either way, you start back at day one of NEXT with a full schedule of monthly payments if you choose, or with an outright purchased phone.

For people that do turn their phones in, no they aren’t leasing it. What is happening is what Apple has started to do and that is “buying back” the phone for a somewhat decent market value in their GiveBack Program.

 

[razmonster]

1. On ATT Next when you “buy” the phone with monthly interest free payments, you pay off the full retail price of the phone over time. Or, if you choose, you pay enough of the retail balance owed to upgrade the line early with a new phone.

2. When you pay enough on this system to “early upgrade” you turn in the phone forgoing the balance that is owed on the phone, then proceed to set up a new Next agreement. The balance you did owe is roughly half the retail price of the phone, for example. If you were to fully pay off the phone and sell it, you may get a little more than the same amount that ATT has absorbed if you trade the phone in. This essentially means turning it in or selling it on your own accord works out approximately the same.

Either way, you start back at day one of NEXT with a full schedule of monthly payments if you choose, or with an outright purchased phone.

For people that do turn their phones in, no they aren’t leasing it. What is happening is what Apple has started to do and that is “buying back” the phone for a somewhat decent market value in their GiveBack Program.

they don't want to hear the facts

 

[pdxmatts]

1. On ATT Next when you “buy” the phone with monthly interest free payments, you pay off the full retail price of the phone over time. Or, if you choose, you pay enough of the retail balance owed to upgrade the line early with a new phone.

2. When you pay enough on this system to “early upgrade” you turn in the phone forgoing the balance that is owed on the phone, then proceed to set up a new Next agreement. The balance you did owe is roughly half the retail price of the phone, for example. If you were to fully pay off the phone and sell it, you may get a little more than the same amount that ATT has absorbed if you trade the phone in. This essentially means turning it in or selling it on your own accord works out approximately the same.

Either way, you start back at day one of NEXT with a full schedule of monthly payments if you choose, or with an outright purchased phone.

For people that do turn their phones in, no they aren’t leasing it. What is happening is what Apple has started to do and that is “buying back” the phone for a somewhat decent market value in their GiveBack Program.

It amazes me that people need this explained to them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[joeblow7777]

Even if it wasn’t the point, it’s still something you said. And I said something about it.

You seemed to find it quite important, in fact.

 

[Steve686]

they don't want to hear the facts

Its the same basics as “do you own or rent your home?”.

If you “bought” a house and make payments to a bank that financed you, you aren’t leasing or renting the house in legal terms. In that little box on forms that asks this question, you check “OWN”, not “RENT”. In this case homeowners always say we own our home, even though they haven’t paid it off. Hope that simplifies it a little.

 

[jeremiah256]

I just think everyone should pay full price for the phone. If you can’t, you can’t afford it. Just my thought. Not telling people what to do. Just because there is no interest and it’s only $47 bucks a month doesn’t mean you can afford it.

Humanity has been using payment plans for thousands of years, enabling individuals, businesses, and nations to do things impossible otherwise. It’s a tool. Some abuse it, but is a valuable tool that should be available and used as needed.

 

[Ortiz83]

You seemed to find it quite important, in fact.

And if I did, what about it? I know what your doing. You were wrong and now you are trying to say anything about what I have done or said to change the topic. Even if you reply and say you’re not and you never said that and what not, you were still wrong. And if I did find it quite important, you were still wrong. That’s a fact if you want to talk about facts. So I’ll leave you the floor once again so I can read your reply in which I already know what your going to say. Go on now, don’t keep me waiting. Time is ticking.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I bought a 25 MEGAHERTZ Quadra 475 that had 4 MEGABYTES of RAM and a 240 MEGABYTE hard drive new in 1993. With a monitor (a 14 inch CRT running at 640x480 resolution) modem (28.8k), keyboard and mouse I was into that system for north of $2000.

I made my living on that computer for nearly five years.

Today’s iPhone is literally thousands of times more powerful than that desktop rig and it costs less than half what I paid for that sad-by-today’s-standards setup.

iPhones are REMARKABLE bargains.

 

[Banglazed]

this topic was started to have a conversation about different ways someone can purchase an iPhone.

some of you have been hell bent on making it about economics and passing judgment for someone doing something differently than you.

the OP was not a Bat signal for everyone's financial planning advice. it's a freaking cellphone. not a car, not a boat not a house.... it's REALLY not that serious. if you don't like the way or don't agree with how i purchase my iphone that is OK and you're obviously free to state your opinion and I'll consider anything that is a thought-out and valid statement.

some of you just seem so bothered for no obvious reason about how someone else spends their money i don't understand.

i know what I'm doing and why.....never at any point did i ask for anyone's opinion or help because i don't need it. I'm good.

half of you probably have bad credit and aren't able to finance a cell phone with a carrier at all and don't have a choice BUT to buy it full retail up front....but that's none of my business

Subjective topic but everyone has different opinion to finance the purchase or purchase it at full cost.

The different is that credit check or no credit check. Either way still impact credit score but depending what type of credit pull. Sure, I will get ding on my credit score for high purchase and higher revolving credit but it is still better than a hard credit pull for a loan. I would like to keep my credit history with less hard pull as possible. For me, I purchase all my Apple product at full cost because I am gaining points for it. I earn points from Barclay card on each purchase so I will be getting my giftcards to fund future purchase. Plus, I'm under no obligation to keep my device in mint condition for trade in but I can through Apple GiveBack or resell it. Through that credit card, I also get to finance the purchase depending on the amount between 6-18 months period. Some credit cards offer perks such as warranty or loss and theft or even credit towards phone bill or even cash back. Sure, I can go for the loan or carrier financing, why not I hit 2 birds with a single purchase? Get points, owns the product, under obligation to carrier to stay or Apple since purchased at full cost and still finance the product at no additional cost with just a higher monthly payment.

 

[joeblow7777]

And if I did, what about it? I know what your doing. You were wrong and now you are trying to say anything about what I have done or said to change the topic. Even if you reply and say you’re not and you never said that and what not, you were still wrong. And if I did find it quite important, you were still wrong. That’s a fact if you want to talk about facts. So I’ll leave you the floor once again so I can read your reply in which I already know what your going to say. Go on now, don’t keep me waiting. Time is ticking.

I was wrong. Your explanation helped me to better understand the difference between a lease and the upgrade program. I appreciate that you took the time to teach me something that I didn’t know. That’s how we all learn. I think you’ve misinterpreted my intentions, but that’s probably my fault. I hope there are no hard feelings.

 

[Ortiz83]

I was wrong. Your explanation helped me to better understand the difference between a lease and the upgrade program. I appreciate that you took the time to teach me something that I didn’t know. That’s how we all learn. I think you’ve misinterpreted my intentions, but that’s probably my fault. I hope there are no hard feelings.

Don’t hope because there are no hard feelings here. Good day.

 

[44267547]

I generally like to own my phones, but as they become more increasingly more expensive, and as for someone who likes to upgrade annually, I find it harder to want to purchase them out right for the inflated prices. But I agree with some others in here you don’t really own the phone if you’re making payments on it, what’s nice about owning the phone, as you can do so what you want with it at any given time.

 

[ray737]

I generally like to own my phones, but as they become more increasingly more expensive, and as for someone who likes to upgrade annually, I find it harder to want to purchase them out right for the inflated prices. But I agree with some others in here you don’t really own the phone if you’re making payments on it, what’s nice about owning the phone, as you can do so what you want with it at any given time.

But at the end of 12 payments you have the option to pay off the phone if you desire and sell it if you don’t mind dealing with that process. The other option is to keep paying for another 12 payments and the phone is paid off or just upgrade to the newest phone after you’ve made 12 payments. The bottom line is you have OPTIONS! And it’s great having those options all whilst paying 0% interest . Payment plan, lease whatever folks want to call it. You have OPTIONS.

 

[44267547]

But at the end of 12 payments you have the option to pay off the phone if you desire and sell it if you don’t mind dealing with that process. The other option is to keep paying for another 12 payments and the phone is paid off or just upgrade to the newest phone after you’ve made 12 payments. The bottom line is you have OPTIONS! And it’s great having those options all whilst paying 0% interest . Payment plan, lease whatever folks want to call it. You have OPTIONS.

Most consumers are _not_ going to pay another lump sum of 12 months of payments in one payment just to own the phone. They likely will continue to make the incremental monthly payments, because that’s what’s easiest for them or affordable. I Totally understand the benefit of leasing a phone, my point being, phones are increasingly more expensive, which negates most for wanting to pay them in full owning out right.

 

[craigio85]

I generally like to own my phones, but as they become more increasingly more expensive, and as for someone who likes to upgrade annually, I find it harder to want to purchase them out right for the inflated prices. But I agree with some others in here you don’t really own the phone if you’re making payments on it, what’s nice about owning the phone, as you can do so what you want with it at any given time.

Exactly why I’m joining the upgrade plan. Have always bought outright previously but the prices are just too high to warrant it now. I have the money, but there’s a psychological barrier to dropping that much in one go for a phone. Especially since i’m the type that, despite my initial good intentions, can never be bothered with the hassle of selling my old devices and usually end up handing them down.

This way it’s a monthly payment that I’ll barely notice and it may end up working out cheaper for me depending on how soon I next upgrade - even with AppleCare on top.