Carrier Has ATT Changed Their Trade-In Promos?

[Garyhe23]

I will probably trade in my iphone 12 pro to apple (it still has 8 remaining months on the installment with att), get my new iphone 14 pro, put it onto the att installment line (currently with the iphone 12 pro installment). Hopefully I can still get the remaining 8 months credit from att. In this way, I have a completely unlocked iphone 14 pro, and hopefully they still allow me to pay the 8 remaining months with the credit, and do not block my SIM (esim) transfer from the old iphone 12 pro to the new iPhone 14 pro.

 

[MrP90]

So question, I have a iPhone 13 Pro Max I have with AT&T that was via the AT&T Next Up. Originally it was spread out over 36 months but I went ahead and payed 233 to pay off half so I am up upgrade eligible thru At&T Next (hopefully thru Apple.com). I still owe 599.50 . Would it be more advantageous to trade in the iPhone 13 pro max and then maybe signup for apples Program instead? I know I would still be paying for the iPhone 13 pro Max at at&T as well. Or should I do my original plan and see if I just sign up again for at&T next up and turn in iPhone 13 pro max? Its not really showing me many options for AT&T on the Apple website until tomorrow I guess?

 

[MrRom92]

I am SO FREAKING CONFUSED

ATT is offering $1000 for trading in my 11 Pro Max, as statement credits divided across the next 36 months. I understand that much.


However, if I buy a new phone in a year (let’s say iPhone 15) directly from apple, even if I buy it outright in full, AT&T will stop issuing the monthly bill credits after I activate the new phone?

 

[MrP90]

I am SO FREAKING CONFUSED

ATT is offering $1000 for trading in my 11 Pro Max, as statement credits divided across the next 36 months. I understand that much.


However, if I buy a new phone in a year (let’s say iPhone 15) directly from apple, even if I buy it outright in full, AT&T will stop issuing the monthly bill credits after I activate the new phone?

Now that I look at it, I think I might be in the similar boat as you if I purchase a phone thru Apple Installments Plan . If I activate another phone , will it kill the credit from the promo?

 

[thomasdangit]

The market trade-in value of the phone you're trading in is irrelevant.

AT&T is saying we'll give you $1,000 in bill credits over 36 months for your trade-in, but you have to agree to finance the new phone for the same 36 months.

If at any point in the 36 months you want to upgrade the phone that is being financed, you have to pay the balance of the installment plan, but you also forfeit the remaining bill credits.

It's AT&T's way of keeping you locked in for 36 months to get the full value of the $1,000 trade-in.

You’re 100% right. I just confirmed this with AT&T, Apple, and Apple Store Retail.

My situation: I bought the iPhone 13 Pro Max for $1099 list price in 9/2021, and received an AT&T “special carrier offer” upon trade-in of my iPhone X for $1,000. We didn’t have AT&T Next-Up (or whatever the heck it’s called) and instead, the payment—and the credit—are each split up over 36 months. So, this doesn’t mean (technically) that I’m only responsible for paying the $99 difference. Instead, here’s how the bill looks:

1/36th of the iPhone 13 Pro Max: $1099/36 = $30.53
— 1/36th of the Trade-In Credit: $1000/36 = $27.78
—————————————————————————————————
total bill: $2.75/month

If I wanted to pre-order the new iPhone 14 Pro Max tomorrow, I’d need to “pay off” my current iPhone 13 Pro Max. So, I’ve paid 12 out of 36 months right now (it’s been 1 year since the iPhone 13 Pro Max) — so if I only owe $2.75 a month, I’m on the hook for 24 months, so I should just pay AT&T $2.75/month * 24 months = $66, and I’m golden, right? Wrong No — I’d have to pay the remaining full-price balance on the phone. So if 1/36 of the iPhone 13 Pro Max cost is $30.53 (see above), then I’m on the hook for 24 more months to finish the 36-month agreement: so that’s $30.53/month * 24 months = $732.72 due immediately to AT&T if I want to upgrade. That’s the “upgrade fee,” basically.

OK, so I asked AT&T—ugh, if I were to pony up $732.72 right now, that sucks, but at least I still get the remaining 24 monthly trade-in bill credits, don’t I? They’d just roll in slowly but surely over the next 24 months, just like they’ve done for the past 12 months, right? Again, wrong No, I would forfeit any remaining bill credits. So I would pay the $732.72, but I would get nothing back in return.

It sucks, but this is accurate information. Does this help?

The market trade-in value of the phone you're trading in is irrelevant.

AT&T is saying we'll give you $1,000 in bill credits over 36 months for your trade-in, but you have to agree to finance the new phone for the same 36 months.

If at any point in the 36 months you want to upgrade the phone that is being financed, you have to pay the balance of the installment plan, but you also forfeit the remaining bill credits.

It's AT&T's way of keeping you locked in for 36 months to get the full value of the $1,000 trade-in.

 

[thomasdangit]

I am SO FREAKING CONFUSED

ATT is offering $1000 for trading in my 11 Pro Max, as statement credits divided across the next 36 months. I understand that much.


However, if I buy a new phone in a year (let’s say iPhone 15) directly from apple, even if I buy it outright in full, AT&T will stop issuing the monthly bill credits after I activate the new phone?

Yup, unfortunately, you’re right. For the AT&T Special Carrier Offer (36-month installments), in order to qualify/be eligible for an upgrade, you have to have your phone paid off.

The catch is that the trade-in monthly bill credits are only going to arrive if your phone is currently still on the 36-month installment plan. So as soon as you pay off your phone—thus taking it off the 36-month installment plan—the trade-in monthly bill credits no longer arrive. You forfeit the remaining bill credits, basically.

You can test this out by going on att.com and looking at your “Am I eligible to upgrade my line?” page. You will see that it tells you the amount of money that you have to pay out-of-pocket in order to upgrade. What I wish were clearer on the AT&T website, though, is that it needs to clearly say that you’d forfeit any remaining trade-in monthly bill credits.

Sad, I know!

Edit: Sorry, misunderstood your question!

 

[Matthewzilla]

Couple of questions that hopefully someone can answer here.

1. It looks like preordering the phone through the Apple Store app actually lets you select which carrier you want to use as far as taking advantage of the trade in promo. It even has you select which type of device you want to trade in. By doing it through the Apple Store app, does that mean I have to send the phone I am trading in to apple? or can I take it to the AT&T store like previous years?
2. Does anybody know if we can do the "Next Up" thing through the Apple Store app this year?

Thank you in advance!

 

[wickedrm]

Yup, unfortunately, you’re right. For the AT&T Special Carrier Offer (36-month installments), in order to qualify/be eligible for an upgrade, you have to have your phone paid off.

The catch is that the trade-in monthly bill credits are only going to arrive if your phone is currently still on the 36-month installment plan. So as soon as you pay off your phone—thus taking it off the 36-month installment plan—the trade-in monthly bill credits no longer arrive. You forfeit the remaining bill credits, basically.

You can test this out by going on att.com and looking at your “Am I eligible to upgrade my line?” page. You will see that it tells you the amount of money that you have to pay out-of-pocket in order to upgrade. What I wish were clearer on the AT&T website, though, is that it needs to clearly say that you’d forfeit any remaining trade-in monthly bill credits.

Sad, I know!

Actually, no.

If he buys the iPhone 15 outright from Apple in a year, he’s not upgrading his AT&T line. He will continue to receive credits on the 14Pro.

 

[MrRom92]

Yup, unfortunately, you’re right. For the AT&T Special Carrier Offer (36-month installments), in order to qualify/be eligible for an upgrade, you have to have your phone paid off.

The catch is that the trade-in monthly bill credits are only going to arrive if your phone is currently still on the 36-month installment plan. So as soon as you pay off your phone—thus taking it off the 36-month installment plan—the trade-in monthly bill credits no longer arrive. You forfeit the remaining bill credits, basically.

You can test this out by going on att.com and looking at your “Am I eligible to upgrade my line?” page. You will see that it tells you the amount of money that you have to pay out-of-pocket in order to upgrade. What I wish were clearer on the AT&T website, though, is that it needs to clearly say that you’d forfeit any remaining trade-in monthly bill credits.

Sad, I know!

Wow. Well, there goes that idea. Thanks for clarifying!

 

[fel10]

I’m a little confused. I went to see what my upgrade options were since I’m still paying my iPhone 13, and it gave me this option. So is this early upgrade legit?

 

[thomasdangit]

Wow. Well, there goes that idea. Thanks for clarifying!

Same. I got all excited thinking there was a way to make it work in our situation. Nah. 🤣

 

[Matthewzilla]

View attachment 2054076 I’m a little confused. I went to see what my upgrade options were since I’m still paying my iPhone 13, and it gave me this option. So is this early upgrade legit?

It is. I paid mine earlier and I now am eligible to upgrade to a new device

 

[fel10]

So question, I have a iPhone 13 Pro Max I have with AT&T that was via the AT&T Next Up. Originally it was spread out over 36 months but I went ahead and payed 233 to pay off half so I am up upgrade eligible thru At&T Next (hopefully thru Apple.com). I still owe 599.50 . Would it be more advantageous to trade in the iPhone 13 pro max and then maybe signup for apples Program instead? I know I would still be paying for the iPhone 13 pro Max at at&T as well. Or should I do my original plan and see if I just sign up again for at&T next up and turn in iPhone 13 pro max? Its not really showing me many options for AT&T on the Apple website until tomorrow I guess?

I’m in the same boat as you

 

[fel10]

It is. I paid mine earlier and I now am eligible to upgrade to a new device

Sweet. Guess that’s what I’ll be doing than

 

[MrP90]

I’m in the same boat as you

With the previous trade in credit, I'm currently only paying about 20 on top of my bill towards the current iPhone 13 Pro Max. The question if I get an iPhone thru the IPhone Installments plan, will I be able to activate on AT&T and will it kill my promo credits. My phone cycle is more towards yearly upgrades .

 

[MrRom92]

Wait now I’m even more confused than I was previously lol

Actually, no.

If he buys the iPhone 15 outright from Apple in a year, he’s not upgrading his AT&T line. He will continue to receive credits on the 14Pro.

so if I buy a new phone in a year and activate it using my existing number from AT&T, it won’t count as an upgrade on that line? And I’ll still be getting those monthly credits?
What exactly constitutes an upgrade then?

 

[MrP90]

Wait now I’m even more confused than I was previously lol

so if I buy a new phone in a year and activate it using my existing number from AT&T, it won’t count as an upgrade on that line? And I’ll still be getting those monthly credits?
What exactly constitutes an upgrade then?

I am waiting on AT&T right now to ask, with it being e-sim, I am not sure if both phones will have active service or how that works (will one stop working)?

 

[Matthewzilla]

I am waiting on AT&T right now to ask, with it being e-sim, I am not sure if both phones will have active service or how that works (will one stop working)?

For what its worth, my 13 Pro Max came directly from Apple and I upgraded by connecting my AT&T account to the Apple Store app and it came with an eSim. Upon activation of the eSim, it killed the service of my 12 Pro instantly. Not sure if the same thing applies here

 

[MrRom92]

I am waiting on AT&T right now to ask, with it being e-sim, I am not sure if both phones will have active service or how that works (will one stop working)?

I think with esim it should be just like with regular sim - once the number is activated on a new device the old device becomes deactivated

 

[wickedrm]

I think with esim it should be just like with regular sim - once the number is activated on a new device the old device becomes deactivated

Yes it’s just moving your line (which is what the promo is attached to) to another device. As long as the line isn’t “upgraded” you keep credits.

 

[MrP90]

Ok, got off the phone with AT&T, keep in mind this was info from one rep so it might vary or might be different:

Upgrade via Next Up:
If you are eligible and upgrade that way, there is another bonus credit that is applied and the old gone goes away since you are turning in the original phone.

Keeping AT&T IPhone and purchasing iPhone via Apple Installments:
If new iPhone is activated on same number / line, the remainder of the payments are due to AT&T and promo credits go away. (having current service is a requirement for the original iPhone) A way around this to to activate the new iPhone to a new line and keep both at once.

Rep said purchasing thru Apple directly, same offers apply since Apple has direct access to the AT&T account thru the process , he said its personal preference who to order from.

I forgot to mention I had a aging iPhone XS Max I might trade in to lower the monthly for a bit.

 

[nojokews6]

This still Isint making sense to me. I owe 260 for my 12 pro. So if I trade in my 12 pro I still have to pay the 260 then I get the 14 pro free. But I have to keep the plan active for 36 months? So it’s costing me about $800. (260+650-approx 12 pro value) wouldn’t it just make sense to keep getting the 260 credits, then sell my 12 pro and then just buy the new one unlocked? It’s like paying 740 for the 14 pro and I can sell my 12 pro. Am I missing something? There basically not doing me any favors to try and keep me for 36 Months from what I can tell.

 

[wickedrm]

If new iPhone is activated on same number / line, the remainder of the payments are due to AT&T and promo credits go away. (having current service is a requirement for the original iPhone)

Countless people here and on other forums have done this and kept receiving credits.

 

[fel10]

I’m incredibly confused by the whole thing. I don’t know if I should purchase from the AT&T app where it’s giving me an option to upgrade early since I still owe about 800 bucks on my 13 but if I pay 50% of it they save the installments and I can get the 14 or should I go through the Apple App where it might give me better options.

 

[MrRom92]

Yeah leave it to AT&T to make this thing a nonsensical mess lol. Couldn’t make it any less clear if they tried. **** it, I’m just gonna do the AT&T thing in the morning and I guess I’ll find out in a year how much of a mistake it was or not..