The iPhone 6 and 6+ buyers and owners thread (1 Viewer)

[Mark Booth]

Apparently they do now, as of a year or two ago. I think Johnny first told me about it; I've subsequently read about it elsewhere.

If you're past the two year commitment, ask about dropping the plan price.

Okay, I did a little research. Verizon's plan for this is called Edge. But, as it turns out, Edge costs a little bit more than a regular subsidized plan. Example:

64GB iPhone 6 on 2-year contract with 2GB of data (unlimited minutes, unlimited text)

Regular subsidized plan:
$299.99 plus sales tax (in California, sales tax on the unsubsidized price of $750) up front and then $75 per month plus tax for two years. At the end of 2 years you own the phone outright. Total cost (not counting monthly sales tax on the service bill): $299.99 + $63.75 (tax) + $1,800 ($75 x 24) = $2,163.74

Verizon Edge plan:
Sales tax up front, plus $31.24 per month (x 24) to finance the phone, plus $60 per month for service. At the end of 2 years you own the phone outright. Total cost (not counting monthly sales tax on the service bill): $63.75 (tax) + $749.76 ($31.24 x 24) + $1,440 ($60 x 24) = $2,253.51

So, Edge costs you about $90 more over 2 years.

Of course, the biggest advantage of Edge is that the monthly service stays at $60 and the $31.24/month goes away after 2 years. However, that only results in a savings for people that keep the same phone for at least 31 months. If you upgrade more often than every 31 months, you lose some money going with Edge. I arrived at 31 months because, at the end of two years, the difference in the monthly bill is $15 ($60 vs. $75). $90 / $15 = 6. It will take six months beyond the two years to break even (recover the extra $90). So, at the 31st month you are actually ahead of the game with the Edge plan.

Still, not THAT much of a difference. I can see how it can be attractive for people that can afford $93.24 a month (vs. $75) but have the $299 cash up front.

Mark

 

[DaveF]

Not the "Edge" or other high-turnover plans. AT&T and Verizon, I understand, now let you drop your normal two-year contract to a non-subsidized price after your two-year commitment is up. If you subsequently buy a new subsidized phone on contract, your monthly price will go back up to the full rate.

Here's a link to an article from last year about it on AT&T.
http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/12/att-gives-15-per-month-discounts-to-off-contract-customers/

 

[Mark Booth]

Yes, that AT&T plan works EXACTLY like Verizon's Edge plan. Exact same pricing.

If, in fact, you can bring an already paid for phone to the carrier and get the lower price from the get-go because you aren't financing a phone, then, YES, I see your point. But it would STILL be cheaper to subsidize the phone in the normal way for 2 years and THEN keep it and have them lower the monthly fee while you are still using the same phone. In other words, the Edge plan would still be $90 total more expensive, regardless have long (after 24 months) you kept the same phone.

But, for me, it's a moot point. The odds of me keeping the same phone beyond 24 months are exceedingly low. I'm too much of a gadget nut.

Mark

 

[Nelson Au]

Interesting, I wonder if AT&T would allow you to pay off the 2 year contract sooner? I'm sure they only would with a penalty fee.

 

[sidburyjr]

Can someone confirm or deny a problem that I have with the Apple weather app on my 6+ on verizon. When I try to add a new location the app does not allow it. I click the plus type in the location and then highlight the option after choosing search. Then nothing happens. It appears to happen only on ios 8.1 on an iPhone 6 (or 6+). From what I can tell, it may work on an older phone.

So if someone can try to add a new location and let me know I'd appreciate it.

Dick

 

[Tino]

Just tried and it worked. Added Los Angeles. No problem.

 

[sidburyjr]

Thanks Tino. Did you do it via wi-fi or 4g?Thanks

 

[Tino]

Wi fi

 

[sidburyjr]

Thanks. I called apple tech support and they were clueless. But the tech support person suggested I reset my system to factory default. I did and now it works. So now I need to fix my settings so that Facebook among other apps do not constantly use location services

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Not the "Edge" or other high-turnover plans. AT&T and Verizon, I understand, now let you drop your normal two-year contract to a non-subsidized price after your two-year commitment is up. If you subsequently buy a new subsidized phone on contract, your monthly price will go back up to the full rate.

Here's a link to an article from last year about it on AT&T.
http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/12/att-gives-15-per-month-discounts-to-off-contract-customers/

Oh! I didn't know that either.

Now, there's less reason to switch from V to T-Mo then.

Guess I'll test that out when my wife's 2-year contract on the Note 2 ends early next month. Right now, we're paying $30/month (on top of V's standard 700-min family plan) for the 2GB data plan on her phone -- my son's being trying out T-Mo instead, and nobody else has a smartphone on this family plan.

IF the monthly data plan cost could be halved after contract ends, I'll probably just go ahead and get an iPhone6-something for my mother on this family plan instead of going w/ T-Mo for her. Might also move my son back to V as well...

_Man_

 

[Johnny Angell]

God of wise financial decisions, forgive me, for I have sinned. My wife and I went into an AT&T store and we ordered a 64gb 6 for her and a 128gb 6 plus for me. The 6 will arrive within 2 weeks, probably. The plus will take, worst case, 2 months. We used the Next plan. I got to thinking, afterwards, would the local apple store have them, or have them much quicker. If so, couldn't I get them from Apple via my AT&T order? Whaddya think?

 

[DaveF]

Whatcha gonna do with all that storage?

I've got the 64GB iPhone and it's half empty (which is fine; because a 32 GB would be constantly full and a real nuisance). But 128 GB...I'd be a man adrift in the ocean with all that room

 

[Johnny Angell]

Mostly music.

 

[Tino]

And movies in my case.

 

[Mark Booth]

I pulled the trigger on an iPhone 6 (64GB on Verizon) at the Apple Store this morning. The switchover from my AT&T 5S went amazingly smoothly! I just have to rearrange some things due to the extra row of icons on the bigger screen.

At the Apple Store, they weren't able to sign me up for Verizon's 'Single Line Plan'. They had to start me on a 2GB 'More Everything Plan'. But the Apple rep told me to call Verizon when I got home and they'd switch the plan. And, sure enough, not only did that happen, but I got a VERY nice surprise! The Verizon rep told me that I qualified for the 'Customer Loyalty Plan'! Apparently, because I've had an iPad on Verizon for almost 3 years (on a Pay as You Go Plan), I am considered a loyal customer! To my amazement and delight, she proceeded to tell me I'd get 2GB of data per month with unlimited talk and text, not $75 per month (as I expected), but for just $60 per month!! And, no, it's NOT the 'Edge' plan!

I googled it and found this (and some other hits):

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/verizon-offering-loyalty-plans-retain-customers-around-60month-talk-text-an/2014-02-07

With the $150 bill credit Verizon is giving me to port my number from AT&T, plus the $300 I expect to get from the sale of my iPhone 5S (I already have a friend interested in buying it), plus the Verizon bill being $10 a month cheaper than my AT&T bill, I'm actually saving money (after 2 years) to switch to Verizon. And I get a brand new iPhone 6 in the process!

Mark

 

[Johnny Angell]

Those little transformers that come with the phone haven't changed, have they? The ones that came with the 4s will work with the 6 or 6 plus, right? I just need the right cable.

 

[Johnny Angell]

At the AT&T store, I was told the best way to transfer data to the new iphone 6 was to back up the old phone with iTunes and than restore to the new phone. That seem good? What would happen if the old phone (4s) was iOS 7 something while the new 6 is iOS 8 something?

 

[Mark Booth]

Using iTunes to back it up to your computer is definitely the best way to go. I just did this on Tuesday. I backed up my iPhone 5S (which was running iOS 7) and then used that backup to "restore" my brand new iPhone 6 (which is running iOS 8). It worked flawlessly. When it was finished, the iPhone 6 was set up exactly like I had my iPhone 5S set up, right down to app and folder placement, email and passwords, etc. It was almost magical how well it worked!


Mark

 

[Mike Frezon]

Using iTunes to back it up to your computer is definitely the best way to go. I just did this on Tuesday. I backed up my iPhone 5S (which was running iOS 7) and then used that backup to "restore" my brand new iPhone 6 (which is running iOS 8). It worked flawlessly. When it was finished, the iPhone 6 was set up exactly like I had my iPhone 5S set up, right down to app and folder placement, email and passwords, etc. It was almost magical how well it worked!


Mark

Man, dontcha just love it when things go right...

 

[Johnny Angell]

Using iTunes to back it up to your computer is definitely the best way to go. I just did this on Tuesday. I backed up my iPhone 5S (which was running iOS 7) and then used that backup to "restore" my brand new iPhone 6 (which is running iOS 8). It worked flawlessly. When it was finished, the iPhone 6 was set up exactly like I had my iPhone 5S set up, right down to app and folder placement, email and passwords, etc. It was almost magical how well it worked! Mark

Thanks, Mark. I appreciate the answer.

Those little transformers that come with the phone haven't changed, have they? The ones that came with the 4s will work with the 6 or 6 plus, right? I just need the right cable.

Still interested in this question.