Social media news-Buy a 'free' iPhone 13 with trade-in at Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T: What you need to know
Buy a 'free' iPhone 13 with trade-in at Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T: What you need to know
All three carriers are now offering the 13 Pro, standard 13 or 13 Mini for $0 with a trade-in. But there are plenty of caveats to keep in mind.
Apple's iPhone 13 has arrived, and as usual, carriers are rolling out the trade-in deals to entice users to upgrade or switch. AT&T came out of the gate with the best trade-in offer of the season, essentially giving away the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Mini for at a starting price that can go as low as "free" to new and existing customers. And as of Friday, Sept. 17, Verizon effectively matched that offer, while AT&T bumped its deal to also allow for a free iPhone 13 (and will also offer $1,000 off the iPhone 13 Pro Max with qualifying trade-ins, too).
T-Mobile is similarly offering all three devices for free to both new and existing customers.
In all cases, there are plenty of caveats. It all depends on the phone you're trading in, the wireless plan you have and the financing you choose.
Preorders on the iPhone 13 are now available (and already back-ordered in some cases). To help you avoid having to comb through the fine print, we've outlined the key details on the three carriers' respective trade-in offers.
It is also worth noting that T-Mobile has added a new Magenta Max iPhone upgrade program it calls Forever Upgrade that will guarantee you "up to $800" back (up to $700 for the Mini, or less if you're buying an iPhone 12 today) in future trade-in credits.
The catch here: You will need to wait two years to trade in the iPhone 13 or iPhone 12 that you're buying today to get the credits, and you will need to be on Magenta Max for the entire time.
Those with other T-Mobile plans can get up to $500 off, but you will need to trade in an iPhone 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max, or an iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max to get that discount. Those with older devices can get up to $400 offer, with full details available by clicking on the "On us with Magenta Max with trade" link on T-Mobile's product pages.
Read more: Preorder iPhone 13 now: All the Apple deals at AT&T, Best Buy, Verizon and more
Preorder your iPhone 13: Best deals and prices at Verizon, AT&T, Best Buy and more
It's time to get the iPhone 13, and it might be free. Here are the best deals we've collected for you.
Apple's new iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are officially on preorder. While delivery on the latest iPhones is expected to be Sept. 24 for the first wave of preorders and in stores, enough people have snapped up the iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max to cause shipping delays into October.
While the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at over $1,000, some people may be able to get the new phone at a fraction of the cost, thanks to carriers' sometimes complicated trade-in offers that can slash hundreds of dollars off the price. In fact, you can even get a new iPhone for $0 with Verizon and AT&T trade-in deals (see below for details).
The new iPhone 13 is on sale now. We have the prices for all four models.
AppleThe iPhone 13's notable features are a step above the iPhone 12, including an updated camera system and video modes, the new A15 Bionic chip, longer battery life and 128GB starting storage capacity (we're very excited about this). Alongside the iPhone 13, Apple also announced the final version of iOS 15 (here's how to download and install iOS 15 on Monday) and a few other big surprises, such as Smart Data mode and two new colors -- Sierra blue and pink. The company also introduced new iPads and a new Apple Watch.
Let's dive into the iPhone 13's pricing, discounts and carrier preorders that could save you money. This story will continue to be updated as more preorder and pricing information comes in from carriers and retail stores.
Read more: The iPhone 13 is still missing these 5 Android features
What is the iPhone 13 release date?
Preorders for all new iPhone 13 models started Friday, Sept. 17 at 5 a.m. PT (8 a.m. ET). The phones are anticipated to arrive in stores on Sept. 24, but there are shipping delays into October for some iPhone 13 models. The first wave of preorder purchases are also expected to arrive by Sept. 24 (sometimes preorders will arrive the day before).
In our experience, popular colors and configurations that "sell out" after the first wave of orders will see later delivery windows, even if you purchase the iPhone shortly after the preorder window opens.
Which iPhone 13 colors can I buy? Depends on the model
A few popular colors are still around, including midnight and Product Red. But Apple added a few new colors to the phone's lineup. You'll also notice new colors, such as pink and Sierra blue. Keep in mind that the color depends on your phone choice.
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini colors
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max color options
How much do the iPhone 13 models cost?
As with previous iPhones, pricing will depend on the model and storage capacity. US prices for the base models for each are below:
IPHONE 13 PRICES
| 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 | $799 | $999 | $1,099 | N/A |
| iPhone 13 Mini | $699 | $799 | $999 | N/A |
| iPhone Pro | $999 | $1,099 | $1,299 | $1,499 |
| iPhone Pro Max | $1,099 | $1,199 | $1,399 | $1,599 |
Which carriers and stores sell the iPhone 13?
Vendors will confirm their offers and phone availability over the next few hours and days, it's safe to say that existing Apple retail partners that sold the iPhone 12 will sell the newest model. That includes Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and other mobile carriers. Most carriers have deals on the latest iPhone 13 models, and even though you may not be able to get the phone for free, trading in your device can reduce the upfront cost by a good amount.
Read more: The biggest iPhone 13 feature isn't on a spec sheet. It's in the trade-in offers
DEALS FROM RETAILERS AND CARRIERS SELLING THE IPHONE 13
New and current customers can get the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Mini for free, depending on trade-in, plan and financing. AT&T will also offer $700 off the iPhone 13 and $1,000 off the iPhone 13 Pro Max with qualifying trade-ins under a few conditions.
The deal only applies to those with an unlimited plan and a 36-month installment plan. You must have an eligible trade-in that's in good, working condition. The iPhone 11 and 12 lines (and XS Max), as well as recent phones like the Samsung Galaxy S20, S21, Note 20, Google Pixel 5 and LG Wing, are among the phones that can get the full discount on the iPhone 13 Pro. Others, like the iPhone X, XS and XR, Galaxy S10 line, Pixel 4 line and OnePlus 8 line are among the phones able to get the iPhone 13 Mini for free. You can check how much your device is worth at AT&T's trade-in site.
As with other carrier deals, you won't get the full value upfront, with AT&T instead dishing the discount as a monthly bill credit for the next three years to keep you on its network. If you switch carriers or cancel service early, you'll be responsible for the remaining balance on the phone.
Apple customers can trade in an eligible device to get the new iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max for free or less than the retail price -- depending on your trade-in value. You can select your wireless carrier from Apple's website to get special deals or you can trade in your device with Apple and select one later.
Apple's deal lets you get up to $790 off the new iPhone 13 models when trading in the iPhone 8 or a newer model. Other phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S8, Google Pixel 3 and LG G8 ThinQ are also eligible for trade-ins.
Best Buy customers can save up to $1,000 on the iPhone 13 Pro and up to $720 off the iPhone 13 with a qualifying trade-in. The $1,000 discount is only applicable when trading in an iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max from AT&T. The phone must also be in good, working condition.
But there's a catch for those preordering the iPhone 13. Customers can only get $720 off the iPhone 13 if they trade in an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max from T-Mobile. The offer is only valid from Sept. 17-23.
Spectrum Mobile will be carrying the iPhone 13 lineup and the new iPad and iPad Mini. Customers can preorder starting this Friday. The new devices will be available starting Sept. 24. We're keeping an eye out for deals and special pricing.
T-Mobile announced the Forever Upgrade program that applies to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineup. You can now trade in a qualifying device and get up to $800 off the iPhone 12 or iPhone 13. The deal only applies to unlimited T-Mobile or Sprint plans, specifically those with Magenta Max or Sprint Max. Some legacy plans are also eligible for the deal, including older T-Mobile plans like One Plus, Magenta Plus, Unlimited for All Plus and Unlimited for All Premium. Those with newer T-Mobile plans like its Essentials or the Magenta offerings are not eligible.
You can still get the iPhone 13 and enroll in the Forever Upgrade program if you don't have a qualifying trade-in device right now. You'll get up to $800 off your next upgrade after two years if you want to upgrade and your phone is in good, working condition.
Verizon's best deal is for the 128GB iPhone 13 Pro, which new and existing customers can get for free with selected trade-ins alongside an unlimited plan. For all other models, new and existing Verizon customers can get up to $1,000 off with an eligible trade-in. Verizon will also cover up to $500 for new customers to switch and the two offers can be combined. So, if you're thinking of switching to Verizon, you can get up to $1,500 off the new iPhone 13. However, the deal only applies to select unlimited plans.
If you're already leaning toward Verizon, note that the carrier offers discounts for iPads and Apple Watches alongside an iPhone purchase. Apple Music is also added with the Get More Unlimited plan.
New customers that buy one of the iPhone 13 models can get a HomePod Mini and a $200 Visible gift card after switching from an eligible carrier to Visible. The HomePod Mini is available while supplies last.
Customers will be eligible for the HomePod mini after one payment and will qualify for the gift card after three payments.
CNET Associate Writer Katie Teague contributed to this article.
Best phones under $500 2021: iPhone SE, Galaxy A52 5G, Pixel and more
You don't need to spend over $500 to get a great phone. Here are our picks of the best ones.
Top-end phones like Apple's iPhone 12 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra pack in the best tech that can be found on a mobile phone. They offer amazing performance and a wide set of features, but they also come with sky-high prices to match. All of those specs could be seen as overkill, and many people don't need the newest processor or the newest camera.
Shopping for a phone on a more modest budget is very easy now, including brand-new affordable handsets through to discounted previous-generation models. And despite their low prices, budget phones can be extremely advanced, packing features akin to premium phones, like great multi-lens cameras, fast processors, lots of internal storage, a fingerprint reader and even 5G connectivity. Further, if you're willing to buy an unlocked phone, your choices become even broader.
Check out the list below of the best phones under $500 -- which we update regularly -- and read CNET's reviews. Note that we've linked to the unlocked version of each budget smartphone and they should run on most of the big four US wireless carriers, unless specified otherwise.
With a four-year gap between the 2020 iPhone SE and the previous one, Apple packed its latest budget phone with a bunch of upgrades. That includes wireless charging, better camera specs and water resistance. If you're looking for a new iPhone but want to save as much money as possible, the $399 iPhone SE is your best bet for a cheap iPhone option.
In addition to its main Galaxy S21 phones, Samsung has a more cost-conscious A series line of phones. This year it launched the Galaxy A52 5G, which has four cameras including a selfie camera, an in-screen fingerprint sensor and expandable memory. Samsung released this phone in quite a few fun colors, but for those shopping in the US you are more likely to only find it in black.
If you want a robust phone on a budget, the Pixel 4A is the way to go. On top of a stellar dual-camera system and respectable battery life for its low price, Google promises software updates and new features until 2023 on this model. It's a solid all around good phone, and in true Google fashion will leave you wondering why every phone doesn't do as much work to make your life easier.
The OnePlus 8 impressed us with its solid lineup of specs, its good screen and its attractive design. Better still, it also offers 5G data speeds and its affordable launch price is now even lower and can be bought online for around $400, making it a superb value all round.
The Moto G Power packs a robust 5,000-mAh battery that lasted an impressive four days without a charge in our testing. The phone has three rear cameras (one of which is a macro lens), a 6.4-inch display and expandable memory. Not bad for its $180 asking price.
OnePlus is expanding its more affordable Nord family of phones with the launch of the $300 Nord N10 5G. Though it doesn't have wireless charging or an in-screen fingerprint reader like higher-end OnePlus phones, it does have a 90Hz display, a headphone jack and 5G. Read our OnePlus N10 5G review.
The iPhone XR may be almost three years old, but it's still being officially sold by Apple and still receives the latest versions of iOS, making it a legitimate contender for your hard-earned cash. Currently starting at $499 off-contract with 64GB, it features a 6.1-inch LCD display, a 12-megapixel rear camera and the A12 Bionic processor. It's similar in specs to the 2020 iPhone SE, but the XR's bigger screen might be worth the extra $100.
If you're looking for a cheaper Note 20 alternative, the Moto G Stylus features a stylus that you can store inside the phone along with a built-in Notes app to help with productivity. Currently priced at $280 from Motorola, the phone also features triple-rear cameras, 128GB of storage and a robust 4,000-mAh battery. It doesn't support 5G data speeds, but its successor, the Moto G Stylus 5G (seen further up this list) does offer 5G, along with more internal storage and, unsurprisingly, a slightly higher price of $400.
More phone advice
Apple's best iPhone 13 features are the ridiculous trade-in offers, not the specs
You could save a lot of money on an iPhone 13 with the right offer.
Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 13 at Tuesday's Apple event.
AppleApple's new iPhone 13 and 13 Pro phones -- now available to preorder -- have lots of new features that are welcome upgrades over earlier iPhone models. Battery life is longer, and there are nifty camera tricks, better displays, a slimmer notch and even some new color options. While this stealth "S year" upgrade isn't as significant as last year's redesign and inclusion of 5G, there is enough here that Apple will still likely move many, many millions of iPhones.
Especially when you consider the carrier pricing here in the US.
All three of the major wireless providers have introduced new iPhone offers to get people to upgrade their older devices to these 5G-capable iPhones. As has been the trend in recent years, these offers are available to both new and existing customers, offering significant discounts on all versions of the new iPhone 13 if you're willing to upgrade and commit to staying with a carrier for several years.
The deals represent a push by the carriers to not just pick off new customers from each other, but to lock in their current customers with longer deals. The floodgates of deals opened last year, when the companies were eager to get people on their 5G networks, and they're continuing with the iPhone 13 launch. While it's a good time for those looking for a good deal, consumers should be aware that terms can stretch out as far as three years.
Apple went so far as to acknowledge carrier discounts during its presentation on Tuesday with Kaiann Drance, Apple's vice president of iPhone product marketing, noting that there are "some fantastic offers from Apple and our partners" when mentioning the pricing of the iPhone 13.
AT&T is offering up to $1,000 off the iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max and up to $800 off the iPhone 13 and Mini, essentially making the iPhone 13 Pro, 13 or 13 Mini free. Verizon is offering up to $1,000 off a 13 Pro or Pro Max or $800 off any iPhone 13. This would cover the base costs for the 13 Pro Max, 13 and the Mini.
Read more: iPhone 13 vs. 13 Mini vs. 13 Pro vs. 13 Pro Max: All the biggest differences
Both carriers will need you to trade in a fairly recent phone and be on an unlimited plan (in Verizon's case, one of its current higher-tier unlimited offerings such as Do More, Get More and Play More or older Above Unlimited and Beyond Unlimited plans) to get full credit. AT&T also requires that your device be in good working condition while Verizon will take any phone -- even those with broken screens -- so long as its battery is undamaged.
T-Mobile's most aggressive offer comes from Apple directly. If you're buying from Apple and trading in an iPhone X or newer, the company will give you a credit of at least $200 from Apple toward the price of the phone and a minimum of $200 back from T-Mobile. Those numbers can quickly jump if you're trading in a new device and have the carrier's top plan, called Magenta Max.
Apple's iPhone 13, new iPad Mini and more: Everything we saw at Apple's Sept. event
See all photos
If you have Magenta Max and are trading in an iPhone 12 Pro Max you'll get $790 back from Apple, with T-Mobile kicking in an additional $500 through bill credits for a total savings of $1,290.
More directly, T-Mobile is offering up to $500 off the price of any iPhone 13 series phone, so long as you finance on an installment plan and trade in an eligible device. This offer doesn't require a Magenta Max plan and will work with any of the company's other offerings.
Playing for keeps
The catch in all cases is that you need to be willing to stay with whichever carrier you choose, because the discounts come back to you as monthly bill credits.
AT&T's deal requires financing the phone over 36 months. Verizon requires you to finance over the course of either 24 or 30 months, while T-Mobile's Apple deal will give the carrier's portion of promotion through bill credits over 24 months (the phone trade-in to Apple can be used as an instant credit). T-Mobile's direct $500-off promotion requires buying an iPhone 13 on a 30-month installment plan.
In any of these cases, if you cancel service or leave early, you risk losing the remaining bill credits and being charged the outstanding balance owed on the phones.
"Now that US carriers are rolling out 5G networks in earnest, they are trying to shore up their subscriber base to keep the competition at bay," says Avi Greengart, an industry analyst at Techsponential. "They are all ensuring that these deals pay off by tying them to their most expensive service plans, requiring trade-ins and extending the subsidies over two or even three years."
Read more: iPhone 13 price and preorder: How and when to buy Apple's new phones
On top of the upgrade offers today, some carriers like T-Mobile have added new incentives to keep people tied to their networks for even longer periods of time, well past the iPhone 12 or 13.
In a policy called the "Forever Upgrade," starting on Friday T-Mobile is guaranteeing a trade-in value of up to $800 for those on its network who buy a new iPhone 12 or 13 and have its highest-tier Magenta Max plan (other older, high-end T-Mobile or Sprint plans are also eligible).
As with all the other deals, there is a catch. In addition to the plan requirements, that $800 trade-in value won't become reality unless you wait two years and keep the device in good working condition. At that point you can once again trade in the iPhone you are getting now and put that money toward a new device, keeping the cycle going.
Carrier deals like the ones offered by T-Mobile "are designed to drive more consumer loyalty" and keep people from leaving, said Anshel Sag, a senior analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. And because so many of these deals require a higher-tier unlimited plan, Sag notes that the carriers are "happier to keep these customers rather than letting them go to someone else who has more aggressive iPhone offers."
The ultimate T-Mobile iPhone 13 Pro Max hack could get you Apple's highest-end phone for free
Getting $790 from Apple plus $500 from T-Mobile could cover the phone's cost.
If you absolutely need to have the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and you already have the 12 Pro Max, you could use this offer to get the phone's cost covered.
AppleApple's iPhone 13 line is now available for preorder, and the most exciting thing is clearly the trade-in offers. While this year's phone is more of a refinement of last year's iPhone 12 line, those that crave staying on that bleeding edge might essentially get a free iPhone 13 Pro Max by doing a trade-in that includes up to $1,290 toward the phone.
Let me curtail that this isn't for everyone. In fact, it's pretty specific. You need to have purchased an iPhone 12 Pro Max and be such a phone enthusiast that you already know you want to upgrade to the 13 Pro Max, even though it's not as significant a leap as say, moving from iPhone X or iPhone XS.
You also need to either be interested in switching to T-Mobile or already be a current T-Mobile customer, and you would like to sign up for (or agree to keep) their Magenta Max plan -- which includes perks like the HD-tier of Netflix and 4K video streaming while on a cellular connection.
So are you a big phone fan that also wants T-Mobile's most expensive plan? If so, here's what you can do to get the iPhone 13 Pro Max essentially for free.
T-Mobile's iPhone 12 Pro Max offer is listed on Apple's website.
AppleFirst, start by shopping for the iPhone 13 Pro Max directly from Apple's website. When you do, select T-Mobile to get the details on the trade in offer, which spells out that the iPhone 12 Pro Max comes with up to $1,290 in credit. If your phone is in good condition (meaning no cracked screen or other damage), $790 of that will come from Apple. The remaining $500 will come from T-Mobile in the form of a bill credit.
The credits are being given regardless of the storage capacity of your iPhone 12 Pro Max, so if you purchased the 128GB version last year at $1,099, you might be able to trade up to the 256GB version of the 13 Pro Max and pay for part of the phone's taxes.
For the first $790, Apple will either give that to you as an instant credit if you choose to pay for the phone in monthly installments or as a credit after you trade in the 12 Pro Max. Once Apple's part of the deal is set, you'll receive a promo code to enter on T-Mobile's website to receive the remaining $500 as bill credits dished out over the course of 24 months (a little less than $21 per month).
The T-Mobile offer listed on Apple's website also shows trade-in offers if you are handing over an iPhone X or iPhone 11.
AppleYes, as is often the case since the "death" of the two-year contract, if you want to receive the full $500 you will need to stay on T-Mobile for those 24 months. But $1,290 should cover the cost of the 256GB iPhone 13 Pro Max, or be just a few hundred more for the 512GB or 1TB option.
This method also gets you into T-Mobile's "Forever Upgrade" program that guarantees that your new Pro Max will be worth at least $800 in two years, should you want to trade it into the carrier then.
A hidden twist for those who did a deal on last year's 12 Pro Max
Here's where your mileage might further vary. We asked T-Mobile on Friday if this promotion stacks onto prior deals offered by the carrier over the last year for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. They said yes, and if that holds up, you might be able to pocket whatever promotion that was and get the iPhone 13 Pro Max covered by the new credits.
So long as you stay with T-Mobile for the remainder of that financing term (which you probably plan to in order to get the $500 discount we discussed above), you should still be able to continue getting those credits even if you trade in the phone to Apple.
Do note that if you switch before your term is up, you will forfeit the T-Mobile credits from the Apple deal and be on the hook for any remaining balances. Carrier math!
In my personal experience, when I called T-Mobile's customer service I was told that doing the trade-in would necessitate that I pay off the remaining balance of the iPhone 12 Pro Max I bought last summer with a $500 bill credit that is being dispersed over two years. As a result, I highly suggest that existing T-Mobile customers call their support line to make sure this promotion path works for you, especially if you are currently already receiving a concession.
Would you consider this upgrade to stay on the bleeding edge? Or do you prefer your current iPhone or Android phone? Tell us in the comments.
Eli Blumenthal contributed to this story.
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