Updated November 17, 2021 to revise trade-in values and update carrier offers
The single best feature of the new iPhone 13 family of Apple phones is not even inside the iPhone 13, but in the wireless carrier trade-in deals that have launched as Apple latest four new iPhone 13 models hit the market.
Don’t get me wrong, Apple will remind you that the new iPhone 13 is the fastest smartphone on the market with the new A15 bionic processor, longer battery life ranging from an hour and a half to the two smaller models and as much as an additional 2.5 hours on the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the strongest yet and with the new Cinematic camera set improvements, you can make a film worthy of an Oscar if you’ve got the talent and enough money in your magnetic wallet snapped to the MagSafe back of iPhone 13 Pro.
I’m actively using all four models for a week in a thorough test and they are beautiful and even more ready for an upgrade if you can get a new iPhone 13 for next to free with a qualified trade-in.
Should you upgrade to an iPhone 13 model?
Here’s what you need to do to help decide about upgrading from your old iPhone.
If you have a iPhone X or older, I would think this is what makes for a good time to upgrade. Each wireless carrier will pay more for a trade-in the newer your phone.
- Make sure your wireless carrier does not have you locked in a contract already.
- Compare each carrier for the best deal and see if your existing carrier will match a competing offer.
- Apple knows that the carrier deals are important to it has this page to help sort through the carrier offers.
- Make sure you are okay with the length of the term commitment some are shorter than others.
The best wireless deals for a new iPhone 13
The deal with AT&T at the time this is publishing was updated is trade-in value up to $800 for a new iPhone 13 Pro over a term of 36 months. AT&T considers an eligible trade-in to be almost any smartphone worth at least $95. Phones worth at least $35 to $94 get $350 in credit.
Verizon is a little shorter commitment term at 30 months for either Pro models. Existing customers save up to $1000 on iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max. Term drops to 24 months for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. Check these amounts as we are told they are changing shortly after we publish.
T-Mobile/Sprint between $400 and $900 in credit with trade-in is more limited with what they will take as a qualifying trade-in that starts with an iPhone X and later for the first chunk of trade-in value then combine it with $500 back in bill credits on a Magenta Max rate plan or only $200 credits for other plans. Term: 24 months T-Mobile guarantees you can get the similar upgrade deal every 2 years on qualifying rate plans.
Apple has a page to check to see if your iPhone is eligible for an upgrade here.
Time to buy a new iPhone 13? Apple Watch 7? and the latest iPad?