Is the iPhone Upgrade Program Worth it?

Thanks for this video, it is awesome. I have one question: after unlocking the phone with a local carrier, do you know if it's possible to use another international carrier just after unlocking? I'm asking that because I don't live in the USA, even tho I have apple credit card and other necessary stuff. Thank you oncd again

Thanks for this detailed info, and the pros and cons.

Thank you!

Great video I like that is was concise n that you were calm explaining the pros and cons w text it helps a lot bc I’m a bit hard of hearing

Isn't it cheaper to just buy the iPhone Pro model each year for $999 and trade it into Apple and get back $570 and only put in $429 each year compared to paying $50 a month which is basically $684 with tax each year?

Those are interesting points ! Thanks for letting us know. Especially, the carrier fee, yeah 😅 , that makes no sense especially with eSims now.
However, I still have a few questions pending that id appreciate if you could address, if you are aware:

1. If it's a yearly loan of the current iPhone. Say tomorrow I were to upgrade from a 15 ( 128 GB ) to a 16 Pro Max ( 256 GB ) will it be a new plan ?

2. When do you get to apply for the upgrade ? As soon as the new phone releases ? Do you have to get in a virtual queue ? or are you auto enrolled? Could you explain on the process while upgrading.

3. How do you transfer the data from your old phone to the new one ? I mean I know how to transfer data to a new iPhone. But say there is a delay in the new Pro Max Natural Titanium make of my choosing and it takes Apple until December to deliver it. Do I have to turn in my older phone when it's 12 months old.

4. Following the 3rd point, say my new phone build is delayed a few weeks and the new phone is priced differently to the outgoing one ( I have upgraded to a higher spec model ) will I be charged the price of the new one in the intermediate ? if not will I have to wait until the next December to turn in the newer phone ?

Thanks. I’ve been lookin for this I didn’t know anything about it 🎉

On a more reasonable note, and since iPhones don't change significantly from generation to generation, instead of spending 3k over 5 years to use each phone for a year, you could spend 1k in 2018 to buy the XS outright, then start carrier hopping Between AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to take advantage of new line promotions. (Verizon only an option up until 2021, as they discontinued their 24 month finance option) In 2019, get $1,000 for your XS trade in for a free 11 pro, wait two years, then carrier hop to get $1,000 for a free 13 pro, wait two years, repeat for a free 15 pro. The only money you end up spending on devices themselves is your original $1,000 for the first phone.

When you use the iPhone upgrade program over a 5 year period, you spend $2,994.60, in addition to the standard service for for whatever provider you use, as well as upgrade fees, whereas here, you pay no upgrade fee in 2018 as when you buy a phone outright and ask your provider to put it on your account, there's no charge. In addition, generally, when switching carriers, the sales person will offer to waive your activation fee to secure a new line of service (which is what new customers pay in place of an upgrade fee) but even if that isn't offered, you're paying $90-$105 in total upgrade fees over the course of 5 years (2019, 2021, 2023) vs $150-$175 in the case of iPhone upgrade program.

In terms of insurance, of course it's optional when you're not using the apple upgrade program, meaning you could pay nothing for it, but if you did choose to have coverage for peace of mind, at a rate of $17/mo for AT&T and Verizon, or $18/mo for T-mobile, over the course of 5 years, you're looking at $1,020-$1,080, which still saves you almost 1k over apple. There's also the option to remove your monthly insurance at any time, giving you control over how much you spend on protection.

To simplify, let's look at side by side cost, in total, over 5 years, assuming a 1 line, $80 phone plan:

Apple upgrade program - 5 phones + Apple care = $7,994.60
(Phone service $4,800 - Device payments (and apple care) $2,994.60 - Upgrade fees $150))

Carrier hopping - 3 phones + Insurance ($17/mo) = $6,910
(Phone service $4,800 - Device payments $1,000 - Insurance $1,020 - Activation fees $90)

Carrier hopping - 3 phones + No insurance = $5890
(Phone service $4,800 - Device payments $1,000 - Activation fees $90)

The only arguments I can imagine anyone making to support Apple upgrade program over carrier hopping would be the following:

Q: What if I really want the newest phone every year?
A: You don't need it, and you're really dumb if you think you do, but, if you are really that dumb, you can still save money by carrier hopping whilst getting all 5 phones. Here's how:

The way the carriers' $1,000 new line promotions work is by applying a monthly credit to your bill that's equal to the device's monthly cost ($1,000/24mo = $41.66 credit) That being said, if you want to get your phone for free, you have to keep your financing agreement active with the carrier for 2 years, but that doesn't mean that the phone you're getting credits for needs to be active on the account the entire time. What this means is that in 2020, after you've traded in your XS for an iPhone 11 pro and used it for 12 months, you can private sale your now year old iPhone 11 pro for $700-$800 (Source: Current day search on Ebay, Amazon, & Google shopping for iPhone 14 Pro, one month after the 15 series came out) So, every other year, we can buy the new iPhone full price for $1,000 and sell our old one for $750, resulting in a net cost of $250 for the new phone being purchased right from apple. You can then take the new phone to the carrier and have them add it to your account for no cost. Use the new phone for the next 12 months, and at the same time, the last year of device payments and credits will zero out on your monthly phone bill for last years' phone. On the years we aren't private selling our old phone, we are carrier hopping as explained above.

Carrier hopping - 5 phones + Insurance ($17/mo) = $7,410
(Phone service $4,800 - Device payments $1,500 - Insurance $1,020 - Activation fees $90)

Carrier hopping - 3 phones + No insurance = $6,140
(Phone service $4,800 - Device payments $1,500 - Activation fees $90)

Q: What if I can't afford the initial $1,000 investment to purchase the iPhone XS?
A: Then your you are too poor to be worried about having the newest iPhone & need to get your priorities straight as well as your money up.

Great video, very informative. Consider speaking louder, a bit faster, and with more expression to keep your viewers engaged.