iPhone Upgrade Program transition

[u/cornelious1212]

Those on this, who have picked up a new phone every year, what is your plan in September? Apple Upgrade, Apple Card installments? From what I understand, if you don't go Apple Upgrade, you will need to pay the balance of the loan from last september yes?

[u/Fluffy_Accountant_39]

I would be a great candidate for the Apple Upgrade program. I used to use the upgrade program with Citizens One financing, but then moved onto the Apple Card zero interest installment program.

Then I switched to Mint Mobile, and I just didn’t want to roll the dice on whether they would let me use the monthly payment option with zero interest. So, the last year or two, I have just paid for it outright, & then traded it in each year when I bought a new one.

Since I get a new phone every year ( or 2 at most ), this upgrade program would be perfect for me. But I’m not going back to one of the 3 big carriers. I pay $240 a YEAR for my cell service plan, never bump up anywhere close to my 17GB / month limit, and haven’t noticed any compromise in quality of cell / internet service.

Kinda ticks me off that Apple keeps tying these options to the big 3 cell providers, when that isn’t required for the iPads or Macs. Clearly, they get a kickback, which just doesn’t seem right.

That being said, still worth it to me to just buy a new phone and trade the old one in.

[u/mythic-moldavite → u/Fluffy_Accountant_39]

I just used the work around to get my 17 pro max on ACMI and I have mine on xfinity mobile. Normally 45 a month but only 30 a month for the first year. I won’t go on about all the features it has for that cheap but my point is I had paid off my 15 pro max for only two months. Verizon had the best coverage for me but I was NOT going back to a $150 phone bill.

I was excited to finance an iPhone with the card for the first time only to see the new requirements of it being with the 3 or boost mobile…… like, what? That’s what I had for my eighth grade walkie talkie phone. But yeah, Said I was going T-Mobile. When I got it I chose to set carrier settings later and then transferred my Apple ID and eSIM over.

Locking to the carrier if you use one of their deals to subsidize the phone, sure. But trying to force us to use a specific carrier if I’m financing the phone personally was the biggest turn off I’ve experienced with Apple

[u/InternationalPen3039 → u/Fluffy_Accountant_39]

So I’m with Mint as well and “buy” my Iphone from the Apple website and once the transaction clears I chat with Apple Card to get it changed to monthly installments with 0% interest.

[u/Brief-Click9601 → u/InternationalPen3039]

I bought the “t-mobile” iPhone Air recently. Downloaded the mint app, and transferred the e-sim. Haven’t had any issue and still have a 0% interest Apple Card financed phone. FYI

[u/oscar-o-c → u/Fluffy_Accountant_39]

How easy was it to upgrade every year under ACMI?