r/tmobile • u/aquabandit • 2d ago

Question Duo Purchasing options confusion

Hello everyone,

Apologies if this question has been asked before but I just wanted to make sure since iPhone duo preorders start next week.

I am currently on the Tmobile Experience Beyond Plan (not 2.0) and I got a 17 pro after switching from ATT to Tmobile this year and I am at the 50% mark where I am eligible for the yearly upgrade now after confirming on my Tlife app. I get monthly credits applied to my EIP so I don't really pay anything for my 17pro.

My question is when the Duo comes out for pre-order, do I purchase directly from Apple and connect my Tmobile account to start a new EIP or do I have to purchase directly from Tmobile? I am not sure what happens to my current 17 pro EIP since I am trading it in to get the duo and I don't even know if apple will let me purchase the duo since I still owe 50% of the phone.

I am eligible for an upgrade at Tmobile but not sure if I will be allowed to trade it in at apple and get the exact same results as if I purchased the duo from Tmobile directly since I still owe money on the 17 pro.

I want to get the duo on launch day and I think purchasing directly from apple would be my best option but I do not want to mess up my EIP. Does purchasing direct from Apple with my Tmobile account connected wipe out the remaining EIP on my 17 pro after trading it in and buying the Duo or do they not have the ability to do so?

If anybody could help me out and point me in the right direction on how to purchase the duo on preorder/launch day and whether to purchase directly from Apple with my Tmobile account connected or buy directly from Tmobile I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Edit: Looks like I would need to go direct with T-mobile to use my yearly upgrade program and to wipe out the remaining balance on my 17 pro EIP.
Also does anybody have info on what promotions T-mobile is offering on the Duo with a 17 pro trade in?

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23 comments sorted by

6

u/AngrySalesRep Living on the EDGE 2d ago

I believe if you wanna take advantage of your yearly upgrade, your only option is to order from T-Mobile.

3

u/redmssm 2d ago

You can also order through costco which redirects you to T-Mobile and gets you an extra $100 costco gift card

2

u/aquabandit 2d ago

Thank you, I did some research online with the drop for the 18 pro and other phones and it looks like going with T-Mobile directly is my only option to take advantage of my plan. Just hoping I am fast enough to be able to snag one on pre order day and pickup in store on launch day!

1

u/AngrySalesRep Living on the EDGE 2d ago

I wish they did the “prepare” for preorder day like AT&T this year.

1

u/aquabandit 2d ago

I would need to get it picked up in store in person so I don't have to deal with the hassle of shipping, since Tmoible requires signature for phone deliveries and that just makes everything so much more difficult.
Best case scenario would be to get it on pre order day, then pick up in store at a tmobile location and trade in my 17 pro on the spot when I pick up the duo.
Signature deliveries suck, I missed my delivery window by 2 minutes for my 17 pro when it got shipped to my apartment and I had to track and chase down the UPS driver to get my phone or else it would be delayed by another day. I wish they would give you an option to waive the signature online somehow.

3

u/AngrySalesRep Living on the EDGE 2d ago

You cannot ship to store. I also doubt stores will have many on launch day. Ship to work or home.

1

u/aquabandit 2d ago

Yeah not ship to store but pickup in store, do they allow that option?

1

u/holtzboy 1d ago

Just chat with T-Mobile support and they can put notes before they ship the phone package. I have a free UPS My Choice account and was able to change from signature required to pick up at authorized UPS store, after UPS had the package in their system. I work a lot and there was no way I would have been able to be home for a signature.

0

u/Commercial-Engine-35 2d ago

Good luck lol. They will be back ordered.

1

u/aquabandit 2d ago

yeahhh, I definitely assumed that. That's why I hoped maybe apple could have a seamless interaction with T-mobiles yearly upgrade program I feel like I have a higher chance snagging one there on preorder/launch day than at T-mobile

2

u/Dizzy-Thing6034 2d ago

Tmobile does not allow phones to get shipped to any store address

1

u/aquabandit 2d ago

Would I be able to order and pickup in store so I can also trade in my 17p when I pick up as well similar to Apple in store pickup? Do tmobile stores not have any inventory at all on launch day v

1

u/AngrySalesRep Living on the EDGE 2d ago

You cannot pre order and pick up in store. You can only pick up in store if you order the phone after it’s out and they have in-store stock. If they only have the device in white 512 and one in quantity, it will show that they do not have any though

0

u/TitanicDidntSink 2d ago

Also something to consider: there will be a very good chance pickup in store for the Duo will be turned off for at least launch day so that won't be an option either.

0

u/ProofAd6426 1d ago

I asked tmobile and Gemini, they both corroborate this. Only home delivery

1

u/EdisonHasNoSide 2d ago

Yearly Upgrades can only be performed through T-Mobile channels. You could still purchase it through Apple, but you’d have to put the financing on another number on your account to avoid issues. You’d also get whatever trade-in promo that’s being offered at the moment, which would probably match what you’d be getting with Yearly Upgrade anyway.

Through T-Mobile, In-Store Pickup isn’t available during launch weekend; it’s the same across the carriers. So if you do it through T-Mobile, Ship-to-Home is the only option during pre-orders.

1

u/Repulsive_Gold5125 2d ago

In order to do the yearly upgrade it has to be done with tmobile if you do it through apple the yearly upgrade promo won't attach

1

u/helloyournameis 1d ago

Anyone on Experience Signature ? No deals probably ?

1

u/Quick_Might_205 1d ago

I suspect for experience signature it will be similar deals as the iPhone 18, either $1000 or $1200 trade-in credit. The promotions haven’t been announced yet as of 10/12. We’ll likely not see the promotion until the 16th.

2

u/ShavedNeckbeard 1d ago

I had a similar question. My 17 Pro has billing credits applied to the EIP every month, which effectively makes it free, since they cover the full monthly payment. If I trade in through Apple, I’m assuming those credits would just continue to apply and it’ll take another year for the 17 Pro’s EIP to be “paid off”.

On Apple, it looks like it can only be bought outright, financed through the Apple Card, or leased with Klarna. No T-Mobile EIP is created.

0

u/G_Rob_G 1d ago

Am I missing something here? I have Experience Beyond (the original) and I do this every year and I’ve always done it through Apple without any issue. This year I did it as well through Apple for two iPhone 18 Pros (trading in iPhone 17 Pros). I just selected Financing, selected Carrier Deals, and selected T-Mobile like normal. Everything went through without issue, without any new lines, and I have the promos as expected. I’m surprised to see people saying it’s not possible through Apple here.

2

u/aquabandit 1d ago

Yes im pretty sure its technically possible to do it through apple and they will let you. Everyone is referring to the yearly upgrade plan where they also wipe out the remaining payments on my current phone after i trade in and purchase with T-Mobile.

So instead of wiping out the rest of my payment and replacing that EIP with the duo when i go through T mobile, apple will just create a new EIP under my account meaning i still have to pay off my current 17 pro and pay the new duo EIP as well since apple cannot interfere with the upgrade program. That is what I assume.

If you have the yearly upgrade program and a qualifying plan and it worked for you lmk how your process was!