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Apple’s new smartphones come with premium prices, but here’s how to get one for $100 or less
Looking for a deal on an iPhone 15? Apple’s new flagship phones are now available for pre-order for shipment beginning Friday, September 22, and wireless carriers are offering special incentives for new and existing customers.
The iPhone 15 (measuring 6.1 inches diagonally) and iPhone 15 Plus (6.7 inches) start at $799 and $899, respectively, with 128 gigabytes of storage. The iPhone 15 Pro (6.1 inches) and iPhone 15 Pro Max (6.7 inches) start at $999 and $1,199. While last year’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models both started with 128GB of storage, the 15 Pro Max starts with 256GB, raising the pricing floor by $100.
Those are hefty sums, but largely competitive with other higher-end smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S22 lineup that debuted earlier this year.
All four models use a common USB-C port to charge instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning port, which may simplify cable management and improve data transfer speeds. The Pro models have a new titanium finish. (The Pro Max adds up to 5x optical zoom, as well.) The more basic models receive the Dynamic Island introduced on the 14 and 14 Plus models a year ago.
Alongside Apple itself, all three major wireless carriers—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon—are offering trade-in deals that may make an iPhone 15 upgrade even more compelling. They require you to have good credit, though, and a trade-in phone, ideally in good condition.
These offers are typically marketed as being available for a limited time, so if they sound compelling to you, you should act relatively quickly.
Apple doesn’t have any iPhone 15-specific deals. But if you trade in an eligible device, you can receive $40 to $650 in credit for a new iPhone. To see what your old phone is worth, you need to answer a few questions on Apple’s website.
Once Apple has received and evaluated the trade-in, the credit is instantly applied to whatever form of payment you used to make the purchase. If you opt for a carrier deal instead, the discount comes in the form of bill credits spread out over 24 or 36 months. Cancel wireless service early and you have to pay the remaining balance on the phone.
If you use the Apple Card credit card to complete the transaction, you can get 3 percent cash back on the iPhone and other Apple Store purchases.
Viral videos claim the phone cracks easily. See what CR’s test found.
All three carriers are offering up to $1,000 off the price of a new iPhone to new and existing customers. The differences between the offers are detailed below.
AT&T
AT&T is offering new and existing Unlimited plan customers up to $1,000 off an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max. For the iPhone 15 or 15 Plus, the discount maxes out at $850. This means you can potentially get an iPhone 15 Pro or an iPhone 15 for free.
Devices eligible for the $1,000 credit include an iPhone Pro Max from the 12, 13, or 14 series; Samsung’s Z Flip4, Z Fold4, S22 Ultra 5G, S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra; and Google’s Pixel 7 Pro.
The deal comes in the form of 36 monthly bill credits that start within three months of the trade-in.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile is offering new and existing customers on its Go5G Next and Go5G Plus plans up to $1,000 off on any iPhone 15 model. New and existing customers on its Magenta Max plan can receive up to $650 off. There are additional discounts for customers on the carrier’s less expensive plans.
Devices eligible for the $1,000 credit include an iPhone Pro or Pro Max from the 11, 12, 13, and 14 series and Samsung’s S21 Ultra, S22 Ultra, S23 Ultra, Z Fold 3, Z Fold 4, Z Flip 3, Z Flip4, and Note20 Ultra.
All deals provide the discount via 24 monthly bill credits.
Verizon
Verizon is offering new customers and existing customers who add a line on their Ultimate Unlimited plan up to $1,000 off the price of either iPhone 15 Pro model. For the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, the maximum discounts are $830 and $930, respectively. Smaller discounts are available for customers on the carrier’s less expensive Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome plans.
The company says it will accept any model of phone in any condition as a trade-in. To see how much your old phone is worth, you have to visit Verizon’s online store, select the iPhone 15 model you’re interested in buying, and enter the info requested in the trade-in wizard.
The company has a few other deals, too, offering 25 percent off Apple’s MagSafe chargers, 20 percent off select cases and screen protectors for iPhone 15 models, and a $280 discount on an eligible iPad when you purchase a 5G iPhone and cell service for the iPad.
Nicholas De Leon
Nicholas De Leon is a senior reporter for Consumer Reports, covering laptops, wireless routers, tablets, and more. He has been at CR since 2017. He previously covered tech for Vice, News Corp, and TechCrunch. He lives in Tucson, Ariz. Follow him on Twitter for all things tech and soccer @nicholasadeleon.
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