iPhone 13 Pro Max For those with a Max for 3rd year on IUP - are we paying extra?

[lsh]

I can’t see all my history, but since the Max came out one month later last year, I think we’re paying an extra month on the Max?
From 2019-2020 - paid 13 months?
From 2019-2021 - paid 11 months but will owe another 1 month to upgrade?
So essentially, the delay last year cost us 1 month on the Max.

Is that right, or am I missing something?

 

[SisterBlue22]

No...the agreement has always been that you can upgrade after 12 payments. We aren't paying "extra", we are fulfilling our contract terms.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

No...the agreement has always been that you can upgrade after 12 payments. We aren't paying "extra", we are fulfilling our contract terms.

This is not true since last year there was a delay. So if you've been a loyal annual upgrader - last year you paid an extra payment since it was delayed. And then this year, you have to pay an extra payment because you upgraded earlier.

 

[SisterBlue22]

This is not true since last year there was a delay. So if you've been a loyal annual upgrader - last year you paid an extra payment since it was delayed. And then this year, you have to pay an extra payment because you upgraded earlier.

Well, yeah...I made 13 payments, but I also kept the phone for 13 months. I didn't expect a free month.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

Well, yeah...I made 13 payments, but I also kept the phone for 13 months. I didn't expect a free month.

It’s not a rental - the price you paid went up by 16 percent
14 payments instead of 12

 

[lsh]

It’s the extra payment this year that makes it more. I thought about paying out and trading in, but then I couldn’t do IUP (with a trade in) and decided I’m not ready to give up the easy switch out vs. re-selling/trading at that year’s value.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

No...the agreement has always been that you can upgrade after 12 payments. We aren't paying "extra", we are fulfilling our contract terms.

Last year we paid 12 installments and were not Abe to upgrade- the phone was delayed and so we had to pay 13. This year, we are forced to pay an extra payments. So in short, we are paying apple 16% more for our iPhone. so yes we are paying two extra payments.

 

[rijc99]

What phone did you use once Apple made you turn your phone in after 12 months?

 

[compwiz1202]

I can’t see all my history, but since the Max came out one month later last year, I think we’re paying an extra month on the Max?
From 2019-2020 - paid 13 months?
From 2019-2021 - paid 11 months but will owe another 1 month to upgrade?
So essentially, the delay last year cost us 1 month on the Max.

Is that right, or am I missing something?

Actually two. You had to pay that 13th one because there was no new iPhone yet, and then you need to pay catchup to upgrade to the next iPhone which wasn't delayed.

 

[compwiz1202]

Well, yeah...I made 13 payments, but I also kept the phone for 13 months. I didn't expect a free month.

But it wasn't a choice. There was nothing to upgrade to that was actually an upgrade.

 

[aok75]

But it wasn't a choice. There was nothing to upgrade to that was actually an upgrade.

So whats the solution? A free month?

 

[kjotwani]

I’ve been in IUP since it launched. But last year paid 1 extra payment (13), this year to upgrade have to make a advanced payment. Also Apple is paying $790 for a iPhone 12 Pro Max which is higher than the remaining loan amount.
This just didn’t make sense to me. So I decided to stop IUP this year, sold my iPhone for a handy profit and buying the 13 Pro Max outright.
Might opt-in next year but due to late release last year, the IUP is not advantageous (specially for 12 Pro Max)

 

[BrettDS]

I mean it kind of depends on how you look at it. The program is written such that you pay 1/24th of the cost of the phone every month and after making 12 payments you can upgrade. While it seems fair to expect that the phones will be released 12 months apart there is no guarantee that will happen, and in this case you needed to pay for the extra month that you used the phone last year and this year you need to make an extra payment to fulfill the contract.

That said, personally I really think that iUP is a pretty awful deal. Even in the best case when you trade in the phone after 12 months you will only be saving 50% of the value of the phone. You can sell the phone on your own, or even trade it in for well over that. Right now apple is offering $790 for a trade in of a 12 pro max and some of the carriers are offering even more.

I get that there is some convenience in just being able to trade in the phone and get another, but exactly how much is that worth? Doing a trade in with apple isn’t really much more involved and can put you several hundred dollars ahead.

 

[compwiz1202]

So whats the solution? A free month?

That was always my take. Take the extra payment and apply it to the cost of the next device. And possibly let people trade after 11 months.

 

[compwiz1202]

I mean it kind of depends on how you look at it. The program is written such that you pay 1/24th of the cost of the phone every month and after making 12 payments you can upgrade. While it seems fair to expect that the phones will be released 12 months apart there is no guarantee that will happen, and in this case you needed to pay for the extra month that you used the phone last year and this year you need to make an extra payment to fulfill the contract.

That said, personally I really think that iUP is a pretty awful deal. Even in the best case when you trade in the phone after 12 months you will only be saving 50% of the value of the phone. You can sell the phone on your own, or even trade it in for well over that. Right now apple is offering $790 for a trade in of a 12 pro max and some of the carriers are offering even more.

I get that there is some convenience in just being able to trade in the phone and get another, but exactly how much is that worth? Doing a trade in with apple isn’t really much more involved and can put you several hundred dollars ahead.

I don't like iUP anyhow because there is no way to pay the device off online. I always order through Apple and finance through VZW. I can go online with VZW, and in less than a minute, the device is paid off.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

So whats the solution? A free month?

Super simple. For folks who had to pay two extra months- they should get a credit offsetting their first payment for the new phone this year.

 

[aok75]

Super simple. For folks who had to pay two extra months- they should get a credit offsetting their first payment for the new phone this year.

its not that simple. Im sure the terms account for this sort of delay.

 

[jbachandouris]

Here's my actual experience:
I pre-ordered the iPhone 13 Pro Max 256GB. The monthly price is %58.25.
I am being charged $58.25 early upgrade payment and $58.25 first monthly installment plus tax.
So, there's your answer.