If you are a resident of the United States and following the recent launch of Apple’s iPhone 14 series, then you would know that you can get them for almost free. This is large because major telecommunication companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile among others are offering deals that could allow their customers to have the iPhones for almost free – subject to certain conditions.
The iPhone 14 launched for $799; the iPhone 14 Plus launched for $899; the iPhone 14 Pro hit the market at $999, and the higher-end iPhone 15 Pro Max was $1,099. Many Americans would not be able to afford it easily without some promotional deals, given the biting effects of the economy.
But almost anyone with an older iPhone model can trade in their devices for iPhones 14 and 14 Pro with AT&T and T-Mobile and even obtain up to $1,000 credits. Verizon’s customers with older iPhone smartphones can also enjoy up to $800 credit after trade-ins to obtain 14 and Pro. Other telecom operators with large 5G networks may also offer customers promotional smartphone deals to have them upgrade to 5G services.
“They’ve invested billions of dollars in their own 5G networks and they’re trying to get a return on their investments,” said Tom Forte, senior research analyst at D.A. Davidson.
Analysts said many of the iPhone 14 series sold in the United States do not use SIM cards, they use eSIM which makes it easy for customers to switch to any telecom providers they want. “That might be another reason that the carriers are being more aggressive, or at least as aggressive as they’ve been since the 12, to get consumers to sign up,” Forte stated.
Tech analysts said the contracts to trade in smartphones for newer ones may indicate that users use the devices and accompanying carrier services for at least two years and above. Canceling the contract within a few months might make the user pay more than the purchase price of a new phone. Meanwhile, the increase in buy-now-pay-later deals is also making many potential customers go for iPhone deals offered by carriers.
“There’s been a bit of an uptick in consumers’ willingness and interest to pay over time,” said Julie Ask, vice president, and principal analyst at Forrester.