The carriers really are getting carried away trying to sell you an iPhone 6s as they respond to Apple’s own Upgrade Program. T-Mobile got the ball rolling with a $125 discount on an 18-month plan, before later offering an iPhone 6s from just $5/month if you trade in your iPhone 6 as part of the deal. Sprint has now responded with a similar deal for just $1/month.
Of course, the old adage applies: if a deal seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true …
This new offer is part of Sprint’s iPhone Forever program, which allows new and upgrade-eligible Sprint customers to get the newest iPhone as soon as it is available.
Both T-Mobile’s $5/month plan and Sprint’s $1/month version have the same three caveats. First, you aren’t really buying your new iPhone 6s/Plus, you are merely leasing it. When the plan ends, you have to hand back the phone. Second, you have to trade-in an iPhone 6, which is worth a decent chunk of cash on the used market. Third, the prices cited are for the 16GB model.
Anyone considering this or any other deal will want to do the sums very carefully to see what makes most financial sense – and, of course, to factor in which network offers you the best coverage. Personally, I always buy my iPhones outright, part-funding them by selling the old one, then I’m free to choose my service plan from anyone I like. Our recent polls suggested that the majority of you planned to do the same, with only a minority interested in a leasing option. Both T-Mobile and Sprint are also among the first carriers in the US that will sell the Apple Watch.
Have any of these deals changed you mind? Let us know in the comments.
