Anyone considering this for an iPhone 6S? Because the 2-year carrier contracts are quickly disappearing in the U.S. market, Apple is offering direct monthly payments as an option for buying:
http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
I see the following advantages:
There are some downsides:
I bought my iPhone 5 a few years ago. Paid full cost for an unlocked one, which was a lot of $ upfront.
I'm debating whether to (1) try this new Apple program with an iPhone 6S, or (2) be a cheapskate and pick up a now "bottom of the barrel" but still quite capable 5S at full retail ($450). I really just want a fingerprint reader. However, I really do like the nice screens on the iPhone 6.
http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
- Customer gets a new iPhone 6S/6S+ and AppleCare+ (2-year warranty and 2 coverages accidental damage insurance w' $100 deductible for each incident)
- The upfront cost of the iPhone and AppleCare+ is divided into 24 equal monthly payments, charged automatically to credit card.
- After 12 payments, the customer has the option of trading in the iPhone to Apple. The iPhone must be operable and physically intact. Apple will pay off the remaining 12 payments and roll the customer over to a new iPhone, which starts the 24 monthly payments clock again.
- The iPhone is always unlocked and U.S. carrier universal (compatible w' GSM and CDMA networks)
I see the following advantages:
- This is effectively a 0% interest loan.
- The customer can switch carriers at will.
- No-hassle for resale or trade in. People now sell phones on eBay and Craigslist to recoup their initial outlay, which can be a real pain. Selling to Gazelle and similar companies means taking a big hit. Apple takes away this pain and basically guarantees a resale price (sort of like Tesla w' the Model S lease). If the phone ends up sucking, you can dump it for the next-generation device when it comes out the next year.
There are some downsides:
- Carrier financing can be less expensive.
- The insurance does not cover theft.
I bought my iPhone 5 a few years ago. Paid full cost for an unlocked one, which was a lot of $ upfront.
I'm debating whether to (1) try this new Apple program with an iPhone 6S, or (2) be a cheapskate and pick up a now "bottom of the barrel" but still quite capable 5S at full retail ($450). I really just want a fingerprint reader. However, I really do like the nice screens on the iPhone 6.