• acosmichippo@lemmy.worldEnglish
    33·
    9 days ago

    “up to”

    some carriers do have deals like that but usually you have to commit to a higher tier service plan for X years where they make up the cost. it’s just a new form of carrier-subsidized phones from the 00s and early 10s.

    for example, this is from verizon last year:

    https://www.verizon.com/about/news/apple-iphone-16-pro-verizon-deals

    Guaranteed trade in: New and existing Verizon customers can trade in any phone, in any condition and get iPhone 16 Pro on us, or up to $1,000 off the new iPhone 16 lineup with Unlimited Ultimate. If you choose our Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Welcome plans, you can get $830 off or up to $415 off the new iPhone 16 lineup with trade-in, respectively 3.

    3 $999.99 purchase w/new or upgrade smartphone line on Unlimited Ultimate plan (min. $90/mo w/Auto Pay (+taxes/fees) for 36 mos) req’d. Less $1,000 trade-in/promo credit applied over 36 mos.; promo credit ends if eligibility req’s are no longer met; 0% APR.

    so they give you a bigger discount if you go with the more expensive plans, and you have to commit to 3 years. if you want to opt out you have to pay back what you saved.

    • MrLLM@ani.socialOPEnglish
      8·
      9 days ago

      Yep, I was expecting some sort of catch, that sounded too good to be true

      • floo@retrolemmy.comEnglish
        41·
        9 days ago

        While there are certainly a catch, it’s not too good to be true. If you don’t mind sounding a longer contract and you need one of those plans anyway, it’s a pretty great deal. And they still offer pretty good discounts even if you don’t go with one of those crazy plans.

        • DominusOfMegadeus@sh.itjust.works
          4·
          9 days ago

          No one needs those plans at what they cost. Source: traded in an iPhone 7 with a non-functioning home button and a replacement display I got on eBay for an iPhone 16 Pro, and paid for one of these plans from Verizon. They don’t give two shits about the trade-in. They want to get you to commit to getting financially ass-fucked by these plan costs for 3 years, and come away thinking you got some amazing deal, and thanking them for the fucking.