Other iPhone Upgrade Program

[PhoenixDown]

How does the iPhone Upgrade Program work exactly? I apply for the Apple Card (backed by Goldman) and on approval go and buy the new phone? Does it ask me if I want to put it on the IUP or does it do that automatically?

When it comes time to upgrade, how does that work?

Any issues (besides the extra cost and the fact you could make more selling the phone 3rd party)?

 

[t76turbo]

I’m curious too. I am sure it has been discussed a lot already but will try searching later.

 

[Knowimagination]

How does the iPhone Upgrade Program work exactly? I apply for the Apple Card (backed by Goldman) and on approval go and buy the new phone? Does it ask me if I want to put it on the IUP or does it do that automatically?

When it comes time to upgrade, how does that work?

Any issues (besides the extra cost and the fact you could make more selling the phone 3rd party)?

The upgrade program has nothing to do with the Goldman apple card. You can do interest free financing on the apple card, but that is separate from the upgrade program.

Its very easy to do I am about to do my second up grade since I joined it and it is great to not have to worry about the hassle of selling it myself after the fact. Just get the new phone and give back the old phone.

 

[dyfine]

I've gone through 2 cycles of being on the iPhone Upgrade Program (IUP). It is through Citizens bank. You're basically taking out an interest free 24 month loan for the amount of your phone. You pay for taxes up front. You can make payments to Citizens on your Apple Card and Apple will give you the 3% Apple Cash back. Then, after 12 months/payments, you're eligible to upgrade to a new phone. Buy the new phone, send/take in your original one. The difference between the IUP and the new 24 month interest free loans on your Apple Card is that 1) the IUP price includes 2 years Apple Care+ in the monthly payment (no savings, it's just required) and 2) you're guaranteed a "trade in value". Example: I bought the 11 Pro on the IUP last year. I'll have $550 left on my loan when I trade it in for the 12 Pro on 10/23. So in essence, my trade in value for the 11 Pro is $550. If I had purchased the 11 Pro on a program like the 24 month Apple Card plan and wanted to sell it to buy the new 12 Pro I, 1) wouldn't have been required to include Apple Care+ and 2) would be looking at resale in values of ~$420 (looking at third party companies like Gazelle).

If you want to do the IUP program, you can get pre-approved for it (remember, it's basically taking out a loan) by starting the buy process in the Apple App. Once you selected the model, etc, it will ask if you want monthly or one time payment. Choose monthly and the IUP will come up as an option (note: it seems like this doesn't show up as an option if you choose the SIM free model). Choose that you want to newly start the program and it will take you through the page to get pre-approved. Then, you'll all ready to make your purchase on pre-order day. This is the confirmation I got once I went through it:

 

[bbj77]

Here’s a question. I have iUP on my phone. My wife wants to get a new phone Friday and sign up with iUP. I’m the ATT account holder for the family. Does she sign up for iUP on her Apple store app or do I sign up for a new device on mine? I’m not upgrading right now my device I just want to get another phone on the iUP program. What’s the best way to do this?

 

[blackchi]

Here’s a question. I have iUP on my phone. My wife wants to get a new phone Friday and sign up with iUP. I’m the ATT account holder for the family. Does she sign up for iUP on her Apple store app or do I sign up for a new device on mine? I’m not upgrading right now my device I just want to get another phone on the iUP program. What’s the best way to do this?

I believe she has to sign up on her app store app since it will be for her.

 

[PhoenixDown]

Choose monthly and the IUP will come up as an option (note: it seems like this doesn't show up as an option if you choose the SIM free model).

So the IUP doesn’t work with carrier unlocked phones?

 

[CheesePuff]

So the IUP doesn’t work with carrier unlocked phones?

No, nor does it work with business lines

 

[dyfine]

So the IUP doesn’t work with carrier unlocked phones?

My IUP phones have all been unlocked. I’ve checked by putting in other SIM cards. However tor some reason, you have to choose a carrier when you purchase. So even though you can’t by the SIM Free version as IUP, the phone you get is the same as the SIM Free/unlocked. Not sure why you have to choose a carrier.

 

[Roller]

I've gone through 2 cycles of being on the iPhone Upgrade Program (IUP). It is through Citizens bank. You're basically taking out an interest free 24 month loan for the amount of your phone. You pay for taxes up front. You can make payments to Citizens on your Apple Card and Apple will give you the 3% Apple Cash back. Then, after 12 months/payments, you're eligible to upgrade to a new phone. Buy the new phone, send/take in your original one. The difference between the IUP and the new 24 month interest free loans on your Apple Card is that 1) the IUP price includes 2 years Apple Care+ in the monthly payment (no savings, it's just required) and 2) you're guaranteed a "trade in value". Example: I bought the 11 Pro on the IUP last year. I'll have $550 left on my loan when I trade it in for the 12 Pro on 10/23. So in essence, my trade in value for the 11 Pro is $550. If I had purchased the 11 Pro on a program like the 24 month Apple Card plan and wanted to sell it to buy the new 12 Pro I, 1) wouldn't have been required to include Apple Care+ and 2) would be looking at resale in values of ~$420 (looking at third party companies like Gazelle).

If you want to do the IUP program, you can get pre-approved for it (remember, it's basically taking out a loan) by starting the buy process in the Apple App. Once you selected the model, etc, it will ask if you want monthly or one time payment. Choose monthly and the IUP will come up as an option (note: it seems like this doesn't show up as an option if you choose the SIM free model). Choose that you want to newly start the program and it will take you through the page to get pre-approved. Then, you'll all ready to make your purchase on pre-order day. This is the confirmation I got once I went through it

I just tried getting pre-approved in the Apple Store app. I'm not currently in IUP, though I was previously and paid off the phone. Choosing pay monthly shows 24 month 0% APR financing through Citizens One, which is the IUP. But it also includes trade-in credit for my current phone and gives me a choice to get AppleCare+ or not, which I thought was mandatory with IUP. Any idea why this is different from what you said?

I'm going to check with Apple too.

 

[dyfine]

I just tried getting pre-approved in the Apple Store app. I'm not currently in IUP, though I was previously and paid off the phone. Choosing pay monthly shows 24 month 0% APR financing through Citizens One, which is the IUP. But it also includes trade-in credit for my current phone and gives me a choice to get AppleCare+ or not, which I thought was mandatory with IUP. Any idea why this is different from what you said?

I'm going to check with Apple too.

Keep scrolling down and you should also see an option for iPhone Upgrade Plan (it will literally be called that). You may be seeing the Apple 24 mo option. When I chose monthly payments, I got 4 options: 1 from my carrier, the Apple Card 24 mo plan, the Apple 24 mo plan (which I believe is from Citizens as well) and then the iPhone Upgrade Plan. Very confusing, I know, but it sounds like you selected the Apple 24 mo plan and not the iPhone Upgrade Plan

 

[Roller]

Keep scrolling down and you should also see an option for iPhone Upgrade Plan (it will literally be called that). You may be seeing the Apple 24 mo option. When I chose monthly payments, I got 4 options: 1 from my carrier, the Apple Card 24 mo plan, the Apple 24 mo plan (which I believe is from Citizens as well) and then the iPhone Upgrade Plan. Very confusing, I know, but it sounds like you selected the Apple 24 mo plan and not the iPhone Upgrade Plan

Thanks. I see two options at the top: Pay in full and Pay monthly. If I choose Pay monthly, there are two more options: Apple Card Monthly Installments and Apple iPhone Payments. I scrolled all the way to the fine print at the bottom and didn't see a place to choose the IUP. But I wonder if Apple iPhone payments might be better for me, since I only upgrade every three years. If I can pay the monthly charge with Amex, it doubles the Apple warranty, so I can not get AppleCare and save a bit.

 

[ckurt25]

I believe she has to sign up on her app store app since it will be for her.

I'm not 100% sure how it would work for adding a new phone but for my situation (both my wife and I are already in the iUP) she still goes through the upgrade in the Apple Store App on her phone when she upgrades (just did it an hour ago) and I'll do it for mine (later, when I can do it for the Max).

By the way, I did have to unfreeze my credit through Equifax for it to be processed correctly.

 

[Roller]

I just spoke to an Apple sales rep. She told me that the first option (Apple Card Monthly Installments) is the way to get into the IUP, which is different from the way it used to be. However, I don't necessarily want or need an Apple Card, so the other choice (Apple iPhone Payments) may be better for me. Pretty confusing though.

 

[mightyjabba]

This is what I see:

The upgrade program should be a separate item. I'm trying to decide between the Apple Card monthly payments and Upgrade Program myself. They seem nearly identical if you want AppleCare+, but as someone said above I guess one difference is that you are guaranteed a higher resale value with the Upgrade Program after a year. I am not the type of person who necessarily wants a new phone every year, but I'm considering the program just to have the option to get one if the next phone looks amazing or something.

 

[4sallypat]

...... I'm trying to decide between the Apple Card monthly payments and Upgrade Program myself. They seem nearly identical if you want AppleCare+, but as someone said above I guess one difference is that you are guaranteed a higher resale value with the Upgrade Program after a year. I am not the type of person who necessarily wants a new phone every year, but I'm considering the program just to have the option to get one if the next phone looks amazing or something.

Same situation here!
I can trade in or not since my 11 and XS Max are paid for....
Not happy with carrier 30 months trade in offers.....

I do wish Apple Card would give an option for 12 months so that I would own it by the time the next model comes up...

IUP is an option but I don't feel I need AC+ since the phone is under warranty for 12 months and I never beat up my phones....

 

[Roller]

I'm definitely not seeing the IUP as a separate choice. That may be because my iPhone was in the IUP and I paid it off. When I search for my phone in the upgrade program, that's what it says and gives me the same choices as I see in the Apple Store app. If I choose Apple Card Monthly Installments, I have to apply for an Apple Card as part of the process, which I don't want to do. So I may just end up using Apple iPhone Payments and not get AppleCare. Still very confusing.

 

[coney718]

This is interesting as I am trying to decide my best options for pre ordering on Friday. I already have an Apple Card so if I use that for payment do I still get interest free for 24 months? Or would it make more sense to do the 1UP?

 

[DevinNj]

I am not the type of person who necessarily wants a new phone every year, but I'm considering the program just to have the option to get one if the next phone looks amazing or something.

Here's how I see it, they get their money out of you any which way you look at it. Whether you pay in full or finance it. So if I'm paying for a phone, it may as well be the current model. If you're someone like me who gets bored with their phone quickly, the option to upgrade yearly may be the way to go. It's nice having the option to upgrade if the new model appeals to you, if not, same difference, wait until next year's offering.

 

[mightyjabba]

This is interesting as I am trying to decide my best options for pre ordering on Friday. I already have an Apple Card so if I use that for payment do I still get interest free for 24 months? Or would it make more sense to do the 1UP?

Either way it's interest free, but if you use your Apple Card to pay for the Upgrade Program you can also get the 3% back, so that would seem to be the way to go if you definitely want to use the Upgrade Program.

 

[PhoenixDown]

Either way it's interest free, but if you use your Apple Card to pay for the Upgrade Program you can also get the 3% back, so that would seem to be the way to go if you definitely want to use the Upgrade Program.

That two new lines of credit tho which is annoying. I'd rather just have the apple card do IUP. Its a pretty big miss from apple as far as I can see.

 

[Illini Al]

I do wish Apple Card would give an option for 12 months so that I would own it by the time the next model comes up...

Just make double payments each month. Apple Card is a credit card. There's no prepayment penalty.

 

[Bigserver1]

Here’s a question. I have iUP on my phone. My wife wants to get a new phone Friday and sign up with iUP. I’m the ATT account holder for the family. Does she sign up for iUP on her Apple store app or do I sign up for a new device on mine? I’m not upgrading right now my device I just want to get another phone on the iUP program. What’s the best way to do this?

I did the iUP for my wife. I used my info on her app and it works well. Have done that for the last 4 years, and I just go in and preorder through the app on each of our respective phones, and the payments are both made on my CC.

 

[LonestarOne]

I'm trying to decide between the Apple Card monthly payments and Upgrade Program myself.

To add to your confusion: You can sign up for the Upgrade program and have the monthly Citizens One payments billed to your Apple Card. That way, you still get 3% cash back.

 

[gamerish]

I'm split between the Gold and Black colors. If I signup for the IUP for Gold and then decide I want to return it for a different color, do I have to go through the approval process again and have another potential hard pull on my credit?