How To Sign Up For The iPhone Upgrade Program
To sign up for the iPhone Upgrade Program, visit this link and click the blue Join now button.
After doing so, a screen will appear asking which iPhone you want to upgrade to. Youll no doubt notice that your only options are the newest iPhones available. If you already own one of these options, then youll want to wait for the next release to join the program.
Once youve selected your iPhone, Apple will check your eligibility . If all goes well, your new device will be mailed to you, your monthly payments will kick in, and Apple will ask if you want to send in your current device.
How Do Upgrades Work On The iPhone Upgrade Program
Signing up for the iPhone Upgrade Program means youve agreed to spend at least the next 24 months paying for an iPhone. What makes it different from the is your option to upgrade after only 12 payments.
When you upgrade you exchange your current iPhone a new one and start a new 24-month payment plan. You dont need to finish paying off the original iPhone since Apple takes it back from you.
What Information Is Needed To Apply For A Loan With The iPhone Upgrade Program
If youre joining the iPhone Upgrade Program for the first time, youll be asked to provide your date of birth, Social Security number, and annual income for a credit check. Youll also need a valid U.S. credit or debit card. Prepaid cards are not accepted at this time.
If youre a current member of the iPhone Upgrade Program and enter the Social Security number you used when you first joined the program, your application will be conveniently autofilled with the information thats already on file with Citizens One. Citizens One reserves the right to perform a credit inquiry as needed to determine loan eligibility. Depending on your account performance and transactional history in the iPhone Upgrade Program, Citizens One may approve your new loan application without your credit being impacted.
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Apple Upgrade Programme What Is It
This is Apple’s answer to those who want to upgrade to a new iPhone every year, but don’t want to be tied into network contracts . It’s basically the “iPhone as a service” plan: instead of paying the full value up front or monthly payments to own a particular handset after two years, the iPhone Upgrade Program guarantees you a new iPhone every year. Of course, for that privilege, you’re paying a far higher monthly fee for the foreseeable future compared to a 24 month upgrade cycle. It was first launched in the UK back in 2016 and allows the cost to be spread on a pay-monthly basis and one upfront fee of £69, with the customer being eligible to upgrade to get the new iPhone model when it’s announced each September. It is essentially a finance package operating as a 0% APR loan with Barclays Bank, when you hand back your iPhone at the end of the 12 months, you’re effectively settling the overall debt â allowing you to upgrade. You have to pay for a minimum of 20 months before you can own the phone. The deal includes a mandatory AppleCare+ membership at full cost. You actually cannot join the programme without this.
So like a continuous cycle: you purchase, return, upgrade.
More Ways To Buy iPhone
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? or call 1800MYAPPLE.
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What If You Want To Keep Your iPhone Or Don’t Want The New Handset
You dont have to switch to a new iPhone after 12 months. You could keep paying for your iPhone until the end of the loan . At which point you will own the phone.
You could then sell the phone privately and get a new handset if you wanted to. Or you could take it to an Apple Store and trade it in when you buy a new iPhone.
Read more about how to sell your iPhone here.
How Do I Get Started
The iPhone Upgrade Program is available at Apple Retail stores in the U.S. and online via the Apple.com website. Its also available in the U.K. and China.
You need a valid credit card, a decent credit score, and to be over 18 years old. Apple offers the upgrade program in conjunction with Citizens One, which runs a credit check to approve you for a 24-month, interest-free loan. If youre under 18, youll have to con your parents or some other adult to front the credit card for you. Theres also a pre-approval feature available for returning upgraders and new enrollees. Apple allows loan pre-approvals for pre-orders only via the Apple Store app on your iPhone.
Pre-approvals are not equal to reserving a phone in the case of newly-released handsets that are not yet available you still have to get in line. But the process lets you select the model you want for faster checkout. You can buy your iPhone online, use the Apple Store app , or buy your iPhone in person at an Apple Store .
After you have paid 12 monthly installments, you are eligible to trade in your old iPhone for the new version. Your old phone must be in good working condition with the ability to power on and hold a charge and with an intact and functioning display without breaks or cracks. If you upgrade online, you will have to sign a new 24-month contract and trade in your old iPhone at an Apple Store or have a trade-in kit mailed to you.
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Exclusively Available At Uk Apple Stores
Representative example:
£818 purchase over 20 monthly payments at 0% p.a. would cost £37.45 per month. £69 upfront payment required. Total cost of credit £0. Total amount of credit £749.
You can also choose to make low monthly payments without AppleCare+.
Programme available for iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Requires a 20-month instalment agreement.¹
What I Like About This iPhone Payment Plan:
- You can get a new iPhone each year
- You don’t have to deal with your carrier or hash out any contract details
- Monthly service payments to your carrier will remain the same
- AppleCare+ coverage is included in your payments
- You will keep your existing cell phone number
- Enrolling in the upgrade program is very simple and takes less than two minutes
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How The Apple Upgrade Program Works
To sign up for Apples upgrade plan, you either have to do it in an Apple Store or on their website, which means you can only get the plan on phones currently sold by Apple. And because youre technically financing the phone, youll have to get a small credit check through Citizens Bank .
If all is good with the credit check, you just have to make your first payment in-store, and then youre ready to go.
Oooh Applecare+ Too What Does That Cover And Cost
AppleCare+ is the company’s enhanced version of their popular AppleCare support service: It covers all the awesome telephone support and software advice that a regular AppleCare subscription does and tacks on coverage for two accidental damage incidents.
Now, when I say “coverage,” that really just means “option to pay $100 for a new iPhone after you drown your old one or $29 for a cracked screen.” It’s not a cheap repairbut it’s much cheaper than if you broke your screen sans AppleCare+ .
Normally, AppleCare+ costs $199 for two years when you purchase your device with the iPhone Upgrade Program, you get AppleCare+ as part of your monthly fee.
You can opt to upgrade your AppleCare+ coverage to include theft or loss for an additional $4.71 per month. The deductible for a lost or stolen iPhone ranges from $199 to $269, depending on which model iPhone you’re replacing.
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How Much Does The iPhone Upgrade Program Cost
How much you pay in the iPhone Upgrade Program depends on the specific device you choose. You’ll see the current prices on the main Upgrade Program page linked above, which are shown in the screenshot below.
These start at $35.33 per month for the 128GB iPhone 13 mini, and go up to $74.91 per month for a 1TB iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Every iPhone Upgrade Program includes AppleCare+. If you want, you can choose to upgrade to AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss instead. This includes everything in the base plan, plus two replacements in case you lose your device or it’s stolen. Upgrading to this plan costs at least $4.16 more per month .
As mentioned, these prices line up exactly with the cost of an iPhone. For example, the 128GB iPhone 13 costs $799, plus $149 for AppleCare+. The total of $948 divided by 24 months is $39.50 per month, matching the cost in the iPhone Upgrade Program .
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 , you can pay the rest of the first year’s balance to upgrade before the 12 months are up.
Should I Sign Up For Apples iPhone Upgrade Program
Dan Helyer May 21, 2019
Is anything more exciting than unboxing a new iPhone? Waiting for the lid to slide off as it builds the perfect level of anticipation. If you sign up to Apples iPhone Upgrade Program you can experience that joy every year. But is it worth the cost?
Working out the financial details of an iPhone purchase can be a real headache. The pros and cons, the hidden expenses, the ongoing payments. Its a lot to consider, especially with the broad range of purchase options available on Apples website!
Thats why were here to help.
In this post, weve explained everything you need to know about the most intriguing of those options: the iPhone Upgrade Program.
What is it? How much does it cost? Is it a good idea? Weve tried to keep things as simple as possible since its our aim to help you make the best decision you can. That said, we ought to start with a warning
We arent financial advisors. Please use the information below to better understand the iPhone Upgrade Program, but conduct your own research as well.
And as always, dont buy what you cant afford!
Contents
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How Much Does It Cost
Apples iPhone upgrade program starts as low as $35.33 per month and includes AppleCare+ coverage. On the high-end, youll be paying about $70/month if you get a Pro model with a lot of storage.
The AppleCare+ coverage includes 24/7 priority access to Apple Support. It also includes hardware coverage, software support, and. accidental damage. For just $4.16 more per month, you can up your AppleCare+ coverage to include theft and loss coverage.
There are, however, some caveats.
Apple notes:
Under AppleCare+, each accidental damage incident is subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage or $99 for any other damage. Each incident of theft or loss is subject to a deductible of $149. AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss requires you to have Find My iPhone enabled on your device at the time it is lost or stolen.
Apple Begins Offering iPhone Upgrade Program Pre
Ahead of pre-orders officially beginning on Friday, Apple this evening has opened up iPhone Upgrade Program pre-approvals for the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. This allows iPhone Upgrade Program members to get a head start on their iPhone 13 upgrade before pre-order day rolls around.
Heres how to get pre-approved for your iPhone 13 upgrade through the iPhone Upgrade Program:
You can also double check your eligibility under the For You tab of the Apple Store app, where you should see a Check upgrade eligibility button. This process entails picking your iPhone 13 model, choosing your carrier, and verifying your carrier details. If youre new to the iPhone Upgrade Program, youll have to be approved by Apples partner bank Citizens Bank first.
Once you complete the pre-approval process, all youll have to do is return to the Apple Store app at the pre-order time and place your order. Pre-orders will begin at 5 a.m. PT/8 a.m. ET on Friday, September 17, with the first orders arriving on Friday, September 24.
One interesting tidbit here is that iPhone purchased through the iPhone Upgrade Program will not arrive with a physical SIM card, but rather an eSIM.
Catch up on everything Apple announced at its September event in our live news hub.
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What Are The Downsides
If you love iPhones, the downsides are few, but there are some.
- Apples program only lets you upgrade to the latest iPhones, as opposed to some carrier plans that allow you to hop over to the Android side of the fence.
- If youre cautious about your credit, be aware that Apple states the following: Citizens One reserves the right to perform a credit inquiry as needed to determine loan eligibility. Depending on your account performance and transactional history in the iPhone Upgrade Program, Citizens One may approve your new loan application without your credit being impacted.
- The upgrade program works only with AT& T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, so you cant purchase a SIM-free iPhone through the program. But after 12 months, you can switch to a different carrier among those four choices.
How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade
There isnt an upgrade fee, but you do need to pay sales tax on your new iPhone at the time of upgrade. This varies from state to state and is worked out based on the full cost of your iPhone and AppleCare+, not your monthly payments.
Its also worth mentioning that if you upgrade to a more expensive iPhone your next monthly payments will be higher. At the same time, those payments will go down if you upgrade to a cheaper iPhone one can dream!
What if my iPhone is damaged?
Thats where AppleCare+ comes in. You cant upgrade a damaged iPhone, but since its covered by AppleCare+ youve got a full warranty and protection for up to two cases of accidental damage.
If you want to upgrade your damaged iPhone, you need to repair it first. That might mean paying an AppleCare+ excess to fix accidental damage. If youve already used your two incidents of accidental damage, you need to pay the out-of-warranty repair fee.
Once your iPhone is repaired, you can upgrade it as normal.
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Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program: The Ultimate Guide To Everything You Need To Know
Whether you’re considering signing up for the Apple Upgrade Program for the first time, or upgrading your iPhone using your Upgrade Program rights, this guide has the answers. If you’re doing this for the first time, be sure to read the tips at the end of the article. It could save you a long, repeat trip.
A $2,000 iPhone? Don’t roll your eyes, it can happen
It’s almost September, that magical time of year when pundits and prognosticators polish up their crystal balls for the autumnal event we all know as the annual iPhone launch. All indicators seem to point to an Apple event in early September .
Are Upgrades Different From Different Cellular Service Providers
If youre interested in phone upgrades, then you might be operating under the assumption that they work the same with all of the different cellular providers that are out there. However, this is incorrect.
There are as many different ways of setting up smartphone upgrades as there are cellular providers. The rules and stipulations for how and when you can upgrade are different for AT& T, Verizon, Sprint, and all the others.
However, while the details are going to vary depending on what company and plan you are using, there are typically some universalities when it comes to this practice of which you should be aware.
First, in almost all cases, a phone upgrade is considered to be an incentive. Generally, those who desire that upgrade would be consumers who want the new iPhone, Galaxy, etc. when it becomes available. The latest versions often have additional features that are exciting to consumers. Think of the splash it made when Apple introduced their Hey Siri voice-activated assistant, or when they switched over to Face ID functionality.
You may be willing to get locked into one of the higher-end contracts, such as a four-line family plan with unlimited data streaming for two years. If so, then they will probably let you upgrade that current iPhone XR to a generation 11 model.
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