So, Are You Going to Buy or Rent Your Next Phone?
If you’ve had the same phone for a while, you may have felt the urge to upgrade, even if prices are astronomical right now. The cheapest iPhone 7 is $ 649. Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 8 is priced at $ 930. So, given that the upcoming iPhone 8 is rumored to be worth a hefty sum when it debuts, the question is, should you spend hundreds of dollars to buy your phone right away, or renting out the device is what you need. need to? Depending on how much latest device you need, how often you travel, or how much disposable income you have, each method has its advantages and disadvantages, although both give you a decent phone for as long as you want.
Buying is beneficial for foreign travelers and budget conscious consumers
At first glance, buying a phone might seem like the right decision. No need to worry about paying thirty-something dollars for a device that you become increasingly dissatisfied with as you use it over the next two to four years.
Of course, giving up on buying a new device for more than $ 600 is not something you can do annually, but that’s the point. Buying a phone increases the likelihood that you will hold on to it, use it for longer, and save money in the long run. With traditional phone plans, you’ll end up paying more over the course of two years thanks to fees and other hidden fees. Buying upfront saves you hidden fees and makes it easy to pay for your plan.
When you buy a phone from a manufacturer or a retail store, you get an unlocked device. Unlocked phones can be used with almost any carrier, unlike rented phones that are tied to specific carriers until your balance is paid (once you pay for it, you can call your carrier and ask them to unblock your device). This makes it much easier to travel the world with the same phone, replace SIM cards, and purchase data plans based on your location.
Owning a phone means you can also sell it when you’re done with it , or give it to someone else as a used device. Selling your device is straightforward as long as it still works and isn’t covered in scratches, dents, or dents (pro tip: get a case). You can exchange it for cash, gift cards, or sell it on sites like Swappa or eBay. If you’re investing in smart home technology, it’s best to leave your device at home as a fancy remote control .
The best thing about buying a smartphone outright is the end result: You now own the phone indefinitely until you decide to buy a new one. What sucks about buying a phone in advance is buying it ahead of time.
$ 700 for an iPhone? Thousand bucks for an Android device? That’s the price of a decent laptop. I can think of many things I can do with such a fat wad of money, and what I don’t want to do is toss it into the jaws of capitalism for the next device in my museum of planned obsolescence . Apple’s most recent “vintage phone” so far is the 2010 iPhone 4. 7 years is quite a long time to hold on to a phone, but it’s unlikely anyone is still using an iPhone 4 given that its last iOS update came in 2014 and refreshed phones tend to suffer terrible performance.
If you are an early adopter or love a new phone, rent one
Renting a smartphone is a viable buying option if, like most people, you don’t have $ 700 to spend on a new phone at any moment. It is easier to rent a phone and either pay for it or exchange it as part of the operator’s early upgrade program (more on this below). You can now split the costs between your plan and your smartphone, a welcome change from old phone contracts made a few years ago, when wireless providers clandestinely included smartphone costs in your phone bill for two years, often ending up with that. that you were paying a few hundred more dollars in the long run for your phone, even after your $ 199 initial payment.
Now, thanks to carriers rolling out early upgrade plans like T-Mobile’s Jump! or AT&T Next (Verizon’s Edge early upgrade was discontinued), you can pay a slightly increased rent for your rented smartphone with the added bonus of upgrading to a new or different model after you have made the required payments for about a year (or paid for the phone in full). While you may end up paying more for a smartphone than buying it right away, the advantage of always getting a new one instead can be worth it if you’re an early adopter with some disposable income.
Since renting a phone from a wireless carrier allows you to update your device more often than before, curious buyers should consider this option, if only to see what’s on the other side of your walled garden. For example, iPhone owners can check out an Android device like the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 without spending nearly $ 1,000 on it and simply swap it for the next iPhone when available, provided they keep up with their monthly rentals. …
Apple’s proprietary iPhone upgrade plan allows your iPhone to be updated every year and includes a comprehensive Applecare + repair program that covers accidental damage and provides flat rates for common repairs such as broken screens. Over the course of the year, your payments will be around $ 390 (assuming you pick the cheapest iPhone 7), but that’s half the price of the iPhone 7, with the advantage of the new one you get when you get tired of the current model.
As someone who does not object to lag for a few years, I’m a fan immediately buy their phones. But smart phones this year are quite expensive, so I revised my position on this issue, even if it means that out of my purse will be released a little more money, when all is said and done.