How does upgrade iphone work

But if your main concern is not laying out a lot of money upfront for your phone and you don't want to go through the process of finding someone to sell it to, an upgrade plan is likely the right choice for you.

Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletter. Don't miss: Avoid these 3 critical mistakes when shopping for airfare, says Scott's Cheap Flights founder. Skip Navigation. Jennifer Liu. Here's a look at a few versions from popular carriers. T-Mobile : Customers who want the latest iPhones are offered month contracts to pay off their phones and are required to make a down payment when they receive their device. You'll see the current prices on the main Upgrade Program page linked above, which are shown in the screenshot below.

This includes everything in the base plan, plus two replacements in case you lose your device or it's stolen. As mentioned, these prices line up exactly with the cost of an iPhone. Apple explains that you need to pay "the equivalent of" 12 months' worth of payments before you upgrade to your new phone.

This means that if you want to upgrade early maybe you bought your iPhone in November and want to get a new phone next September , you can pay the rest of the first year's balance to upgrade before the 12 months are up. Whether the iPhone Upgrade Program is right for you depends on your needs and desires. You're better off putting that extra money into a fund for your next phone. If you're looking to save as much money as possible on your iPhone or don't wish to upgrade every year, you'll likely do better staying away from the Upgrade Program.

Let's run a quick calculation of two extremes to examine this. However, at this point, you have a phone that's half-paid. Then at the end of that period, you can trade in your iPhone 13 for credit towards presumably an iPhone At that time, you'll have a year-old phone that's yours to do with as you will.

Compare that to the iPhone Upgrade Plan scenario, where you spend less after two years but have a phone that's not fully paid off, and end up paying more over three years.

If you're able to sell your older iPhones for more money than Apple's trade-in maybe to a friend or on Facebook Marketplace , the value of buying a phone every two years increases. Plus, you don't have to do exactly the above. Learn more about your coverage options. You can simply pay over time. Sign up online, in an Apple Store, or with the Apple Store app. You can pay in full, select carrier financing, or pay monthly and interest-free when you choose to checkout with Apple Card Monthly Installments.

Still have questions? Overview How to upgrade. The easiest way to upgrade to the latest iPhone. Join now the iPhone Upgrade Program Already a member? Check your upgrade eligibility now with iPhone Upgrade Program. And given the prices of the new Pro models, I hope you'll start being nicer to your parents.

You can take it to an Apple Store and make the swap there, but you can also save the trip and buy from Apple's online store or the Apple Store app. When you order an iPhone online from Apple, it'll arrive with a trade-in kit so you can package up your suddenly outdated phone and ship it back to Apple. You need to get it back to Apple within 14 days. Read more: The best ways to sell or trade in your old iPhone in According to Apple , your current iPhone needs to be in "good physical and operational condition.

Yes, but it'll cost you. If you've made at least six monthly payments on your current phone, you can pay the difference between your current balance and the total for 12 payments to fast-forward the clock and get a new iPhone. No, not all at!