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| Created: | Thursday, September 17, 2015 |
| Members: | Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 14:01 eastern (836 days ago) |
| Public: | Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 14:01 eastern |
| Expiration: | unknown |
| This is an informational posting or a note regarding an existing deal | |
| Heat level: | N/A |
| Countries: | available in USA |
| Details: | New iPhone Upgrade Program is Brilliant for Apple, but Not a Good Deal: Apple and the US-based mobile carriers announced "upgrade plans" for the new iPhone. On the surface, the "upgrade" plans sound good because you no longer have to pay a couple hundred dollars up-front for a phone, but rather pay for a phone in monthly installments. However, the plans could limit your options moving forward. Say you want to upgrade your iPhone within 24 months (a lot people will want the new iPhone 7 next year), or if your phone breaks, you could find yourself paying bills for a phone you no longer use. The "upgrade" plans also can not only lock you in to a certain carrier, but to a certain phone, too. People would be less likely to sell their iPhone and replace with another phone, if they are still paying off the phone. Say you want a new phone before your 24-month contract expires, for whatever reason (upgrade your phone, phone breaks and needs to be replaced, etc.), you will be stuck paying monthly fees for 2 phones. Insurance (such as AppleCare) on an "upgrade" plan will either be a necessity, or a requirement. Keep in mind, that insurance will increase the overall cost to someone who had not previously used insurance. Also, most insurance plans still charge a fee when replacing a broken phone, granted it will be less than buying a new phone or subscribing to a new 24-month contract, though it is another fee on top of the insurance part of your bill. No matter how we look at the numbers, it essentially means consumers will be paying a little more in the long-run. People who replace a phone every 2 years will probably spend about $50 to $100 more (over 2 years) than they would normally have. People who replace a phone every 12-18 months will at least pay about $100 more every 12-18 months. It is a brilliant way for Apple to effectively get more money for selling iPhones, and consumers will be the ones with higher monthly bills. There is some good news. Some carriers may offer cheaper plans to keep customers, since anyone who now buys a new iPhone direct from Apple will get an unlocked phone that can be used on any network. Call your mobile phone carrier about new plans that could save you some money, but be careful about locking yourself in to an "upgrade" plan from the carrier, which could limit your options. So, what does this mean for you?
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