iPhone 11 Help me with iPhone Upgrade program?

[Chele]

This may seem like a silly question but I just can't wrap my brain about this. I have an iPhone 11 and I'm on the iPhone upgrade program. I've paid 22 of 24 months. Normally, I upgrade once a year. I bought the iPhone 12, I didn't like it and returned it. I was supposed to trade in my iPhone 11 but didn't. It took a little bit for the payments to get started again (there was a mix-up with Apple and Citizens One not communicating and they didn't charge me for 2 months).

My 23rd payment is due in a few days (the 20th) and the last payment is in October. I have no problem paying the 2 payments in one payment but it doesn't give me the option online. It just says that I'm enrolled in the monthly payment program and it'll come out monthly.

So...if I want to get the iPhone 13, what do I do? I know that I'm not "upgrading" because the 11 will now be mine after the 2 payments but how do I pay the two payments without waiting for October. Also...can I trade in my 11 and get credit for that toward my 13?

 

[SisterBlue22]

This may seem like a silly question but I just can't wrap my brain about this. I have an iPhone 11 and I'm on the iPhone upgrade program. I've paid 22 of 24 months. Normally, I upgrade once a year. I bought the iPhone 12, I didn't like it and returned it. I was supposed to trade in my iPhone 11 but didn't. It took a little bit for the payments to get started again (there was a mix-up with Apple and Citizens One not communicating and they didn't charge me for 2 months).

My 23rd payment is due in a few days (the 20th) and the last payment is in October. I have no problem paying the 2 payments in one payment but it doesn't give me the option online. It just says that I'm enrolled in the monthly payment program and it'll come out monthly.

So...if I want to get the iPhone 13, what do I do? I know that I'm not "upgrading" because the 11 will now be mine after the 2 payments but how do I pay the two payments without waiting for October. Also...can I trade in my 11 and get credit for that toward my 13?

Just call the number at the bottom right of the screen when you're logged into your account, and navigate to talking to an agent to make a payment. if you're on auto-pay, you can't make "extra" payments online, only over the phone. I just called them to make the 12th payment on my 12 Pro Max so I'm ready to upgrade on Friday. It was really easy and only took a couple of minutes, and that payment is already showing in my account.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

At this point you've almost paid the phone off. You are better off paying it off and using it as a trade in when the options come up and you can still pay in monthly installments. It's just not the Upgrade program, it's a trade in for a new purchase.

OR you can try selling it on someplace like Swappa and start a new Upgrade contract to get back on cycle. Use the cash to get the new Mini. lol.

Just let the bank keep taking the remaining monthly payments.

 

[Chele]

Just call the number at the bottom right of the screen when you're logged into your account, and navigate to talking to an agent to make a payment. if you're on auto-pay, you can't make "extra" payments online, only over the phone. I just called them to make the 12th payment on my 12 Pro Max so I'm ready to upgrade on Friday. It was really easy and only took a couple of minutes, and that payment is already showing in my account.

Thank you! I don't know why I didn't think to call them. I just looked at it online and figured it couldn't be done. I'll do that so that the phone will be completely paid off for Friday and then I can trade it in with Apple or sell it on my own.

 

[Chele]

Honestly, at this point you've almost paid the phone off. Why would you send back a phone that is fully paid for? You are better off paying it off and using it as a trade in when the options come up and you can still pay in monthly installments. It's just not the Upgrade program, it's a trade in for a new purchase.

OR you can try selling it on someplace like Swappa and start a new Upgrade contract to get back on cycle. Use the cash to get the new Mini. lol. But absolutely do not send that iPhone back to Apple.

If you aren't upgrading every year, the Upgrade program isn't the right fit, IMO.

Sorry, I probably wasn't clear in my original message. I meant do a trade in with Apple once the 11 is completely paid off. Not trade in like an upgrade. I've been using the Upgrade program for many years but I've always just traded in after one year. I've never had to deal with it once it gets to the two year mark.

 

[Chele]

Also...another question, once I pay the last 2 payments, I won't be in the program anymore. Do I start over as a new upgrade? I wonder if I can do that before Friday or if I'm going to be starting over Friday morning?

 

[NYCValkyrie]

Sorry, I probably wasn't clear in my original message. I meant do a trade in with Apple once the 11 is completely paid off. Not trade in like an upgrade. I've been using the Upgrade program for many years but I've always just traded in after one year. I've never had to deal with it once it gets to the two year mark.

Actually, it was my bad. I didn't read your post thoroughly and I edited my post to reflect.

Also...another question, once I pay the last 2 payments, I won't be in the program anymore. Do I start over as a new upgrade? I wonder if I can do that before Friday or if I'm going to be starting over Friday morning?

Yes, you'd have to start over with a new application. But if this is the route you are taking, sell the phone on Swappa since this isn't a trade in for the Upgrade program. I'm sure they'll do pre-quals like they have in the past. Just not sure when it will start.

 

[Chele]

Actually, it was my bad. I didn't read your post thoroughly and I edited my post to reflect.



Yes, you'd have to start over with a new application. But if this is the route you are taking, sell the phone on Swappa since this isn't a trade in for the Upgrade program. I'm sure they'll do pre-quals like they have in the past. Just not sure when it will start.

Gotcha, thanks for the reply! It looks like the trade in value from Apple for the 11 is $340. I don't like selling online and that seems fine with me. I'd be happy with that. I know that I can make more selling on my own but I would just rather "trade" it in with Apple.

I think my question too was that can I send in my 11 as a trade in and still continue those two payments or does it need to be completely paid off? I could see Apple requiring it to be paid but didn't know.

What's interesting is that when going through the pricing, it doesn't give me an option to even start the Upgrade Program. It just has "At&T installment plan", "Applecard monthly installments", and "iPhone monthly payments". The iPhone monthly payments is with Citizens One but it's not the upgrade program so I wouldn't "upgrade" next year with them. Hmm. I wonder if they're not offering it or maybe it's just not on there yet.

 

[joejoethedog]

If you started the transaction with a trade-in, the Upgrade Program is not available as an option. The two can't be combined as far as I know. (Or at least you weren't able to do that in the past, as I've tried previously.)

 

[NYCValkyrie]

Gotcha, thanks for the reply! It looks like the trade in value from Apple for the 11 is $340. I don't like selling online and that seems fine with me. I'd be happy with that. I know that I can make more selling on my own but I would just rather "trade" it in with Apple.

I think my question too was that can I send in my 11 as a trade in and still continue those two payments or does it need to be completely paid off? I could see Apple requiring it to be paid but didn't know.

What's interesting is that when going through the pricing, it doesn't give me an option to even start the Upgrade Program. It just has "At&T installment plan", "Applecard monthly installments", and "iPhone monthly payments". The iPhone monthly payments is with Citizens One but it's not the upgrade program so I wouldn't "upgrade" next year with them. Hmm. I wonder if they're not offering it or maybe it's just not on there yet.

The payment would continue, I believe. You can do whatever you want with the phone as long as you're still paying! lol. You can also just call Citizen bank and they'll let you pay it off - or at lest they used to - over the phone. Not sure why it isn't allowed online.

[The Upgrade application] might not be available until the 13 is for sale. Try it with a 12 and see what options come up.

EDIT - I reread and didn't realize you were in the middle of a trade-in when you were looking for the Upgrade option. Start new and buy as new w/o trade in and it should come up as an option.

 

[Chele]

If you started the transaction with a trade-in, the Upgrade Program is not available as an option. The two can't be combined as far as I know. (Or at least you weren't able to do that in the past, as I've tried previously.)

Ohh, that makes sense. I never realized that. Guess I fell off the Upgrade Program wagon by not keeping the 12 last year. Frankly, the 12 hurts my eyes last year so I'm not 100% positive that I'll even be keeping the 13 either so I might just pay in full and then get a full refund and not worry about the monthly payments.