Other Directly from Apple or From Carrier?

[Dstopsie]

I have never ever ordered from the carrier. I have had every iphone since the first one in 2007, and always have got my phone through Apple. Never ordered from the carrier and never would. Too many friends have done that and had delays and took forever for them to get their phones.

 

[onenorth]

I buy from the carrier (Verizon in my case). Carriers usually have the best deals. I’ve never paid more than $200 for the newest iPhone, and already had the unlimited 5G plan so that didn’t affect me. Sure, I need to stick with them to get the full benefit of the trade-in, but I have no intention of switching carriers and I upgrade every two or three years anyway.

Being “locked in” doesn’t have the same meaning as it did years ago. Most carriers don’t do contracts with termination fees anymore, so you really aren’t locked in. (Verizon and AT&T will unlock their phones 60 days after activation. T-mobile will unlock their phones 40 days after activation.) If you want to switch to another carrier, just pay off the remainder of your phone balance and leave. It doesn’t cost any more than if you had bought it outright. It’ll actually be less since you would have used some of the monthly trade-in credits. The other carrier might even offer to pay you to leave to join theirs.

This. AT&T is going to give me $1000 in credits over 36 months to trade-in an iPhone 12 that only cost $949 when new. So if I want to trade up again in two years, I will only pay 1/3 of the full cost of the new phone. Until then, the monthly payment will be zero (or just a few dollars if I go with a phone that costs over $1000).

 

[Wags]

This. AT&T is going to give me $1000 in credits over 36 months to trade-in an iPhone 12 that only cost $949 when new. So if I want to trade up again in two years, I will only pay 1/3 of the full cost of the new phone. Until then, the monthly payment will be zero (or just a few dollars if I go with a phone that costs over $1000).

Not a bad deal if keep at least 2 years. If you happen to change mind after 1 year then becomes really bad deal. Especially, if wanted the next year promo. Guess that’s the part of feeling locked in. Ymmv.

 

[onenorth]

Not a bad deal if keep at least 2 years. If you happen to change mind after 1 year then becomes really bad deal. Especially, if wanted the next year promo. Guess that’s the part of feeling locked in. Ymmv.

No worse than what Apple is offering as a trade in, less than $350 for the iPhone 12.

 

[jm31828]

I just looked at their plans and found this.



This is what I was referencing with the 5G cost upgrade. A few years ago, their plans were $10 per line but if you bought a 5G capable phone, you were pushed to the $15 per month. This sounds like it has changed from my last experience as if I read this correctly, if you have an existing number (not opening a new line) you should be able to still retain the $10 per line rate.

Are you paying $10 or $15 per line? I am currently paying $10 per line per phone (5 lines) as all of our phones are bought separately from the account and just sim swapped but all of our phones are 5G.

Good to see they are not forcing people to the unlimited plan. Even though their unlimited plan is still a good deal in comparison to other providers.

We have two phones, and don’t pay any particular fee per line- we have the 3gb shared plan for $30/month, so we literally just pay $30 total plus about $4 tax. I am an xfinity tv and home internet customer- if I wasn’t, then there would be additional charges.

I think the fine print you mentioned applies to those with 1 phone using say, the 1gb plan for $10/month- it’s so low that they had to set a minimum for this desk- hence the mention of $15/month.

 

[Kung]

So, was the iPhone AT&T branded?

Up until I unlocked it, I guess.

 

[barbeyg]

Apple. I won’t tie myself to a carrier contract.

 

[white_horse]

Used to go through my carrier (AT&T). When they started stretching their NextUp plans from 12/24 months to 30 months to 36 months now I went to Apple and IUP. I’ve also had less issues ordering on pre-order day through Apple than AT&T. UPS for delivery in my area also has a better track record than FedEx.

 

[uniquexoxo]

nah im buying from apple, primarily because i don’t want to go through of paying it on a monthly basis, and i can afford it. i mean bottomline is if you can afford to pay it in full no one in the right mind would choose to buy it from carrier on an installment basis. Plus id like to keep my sim only $15 plan where i get unlimited calls and texts, unlimited 5g data, 10gb of 4G/LTE, free medical tele-consultation, and 3gb monthly public wifi connection.

 

[Complex757]

nah im buying from apple, primarily because i don’t want to go through of paying it on a monthly basis, and i can afford it. i mean bottomline is if you can afford to pay it in full no one in the right mind would choose to buy it from carrier on an installment basis. Plus id like to keep my sim only $15 plan where i get unlimited calls and texts, unlimited 5g data, 10gb of 4G/LTE, free medical tele-consultation, and 3gb monthly public wifi connection.

Probably should have actually read some post before posting.

 

[uniquexoxo]

Probably should have actually read some post before posting.

sure

 

[blairh]

For those getting a new iphone are most of you getting your new phone through your carrier or apple directly. Honestly i would prefer to get mine directly from apple unlocked but there were a couple reasons i chose to get my phone directly through my carrier (Xfinity)(which will be locked). The biggest reason is they were offering $400 off the phone (even for current subscribers) which is just too good to pass up. The 2nd reason for me was i have a gift card through apple from selling them an old macbook. Apple makes it a hassle to use to use the gift card. If you choose to do the monthly installments through the apple card there is no way to enter a gift card so you must call apple to be able to use it which was impossible of course last friday.

I guess the big disadvantage would if i do international travel and i want to buy cheap service where i'm at which i don't know will work as well anymore because of esim but i'll be stuck because it will be locked.

Always from Apple unlocked. I travel every summer to Italy and use a local SIM. I checked with my friend who works at a smartphone retailer and he said not to worry about eSIM next summer.

If I didn't travel internationally I would just go through AT&T and their promos.

 

[jdsmitty10]

nah im buying from apple, primarily because i don’t want to go through of paying it on a monthly basis, and i can afford it. i mean bottomline is if you can afford to pay it in full no one in the right mind would choose to buy it from carrier on an installment basis. Plus id like to keep my sim only $15 plan where i get unlimited calls and texts, unlimited 5g data, 10gb of 4G/LTE, free medical tele-consultation, and 3gb monthly public wifi connection.

I could buy my 14 pro up front but what sense does that make with xfinity will finance it for free and knock $400 off the phone over those 2 years of payments? I don’t upgrade every year so I’m perfectly fine being “locked” to xfinity.. to each their own.. if I was buying a car at 0% financing I would keep my money in the bank as well

 

[Madhatter32]

nah im buying from apple, primarily because i don’t want to go through of paying it on a monthly basis, and i can afford it. i mean bottomline is if you can afford to pay it in full no one in the right mind would choose to buy it from carrier on an installment basis. Plus id like to keep my sim only $15 plan where i get unlimited calls and texts, unlimited 5g data, 10gb of 4G/LTE, free medical tele-consultation, and 3gb monthly public wifi connection.

I can afford it. Installment is better if the carrier gives you a free phone or a big discount. I actually think just the opposite of you: "no one in the right mind would choose to buy it" from Apple outright if given the carrier deal. The only exception would be if you travel overseas frequently and need an unlocked phone.

 

[dmdcash]

Not even if you ca save 3-4 hundred dollars on the purchase?
Really?

I always bought from Best Buy or ATT, until ATT made you finance for 30 months, and now its THIRTY SIX months.....what a joke. Apple all the way now.

 

[uniquexoxo]

I could buy my 14 pro up front but what sense does that make with xfinity will finance it for free and knock $400 off the phone over those 2 years of payments? I don’t upgrade every year so I’m perfectly fine being “locked” to xfinity.. to each their own.. if I was buying a car at 0% financing I would keep my money in the bank as well

I can afford it. Installment is better if the carrier gives you a free phone or a big discount. I actually think just the opposite of you: "no one in the right mind would choose to buy it" from Apple outright if given the carrier deal. The only exception would be if you travel overseas frequently and need an unlocked phone.

okay if you say so 🫡

 

[swamyg1]

Are all phones from Apple unlocked, even if you specify a carrier?