My strategy of getting the iphone 4 and 5 (or 6)

[sunrat39]

Ok, currently I own the Droid X from verizon which I signed a two year contract with on 9/24/10. Here are two scenarios for me getting the iPhone and I would like to see what you guys think.

Plan A:
I bought my Droid x for 200 on 9/24/10. Sell the Droid x for about 300-350 and buy a full priced Iphone 4.
So, I spent 200 for the droid x and will sell for lets say 350 and buy the iphone 4 for about 650. This is a difference of 500 bucks I would be paying out in the long run.

Then when the Iphone 5 comes out lets say late this summer, I can sell my Iphone 4 for about 450 (my estimate from current ebay sales from ATT and their iphone 4 has been out for sometime) and buy the Iphone 5 on 9/24 using my Annual upgrade (which would cost me 220 including the upgrade fee). So, it would cost me about 270 for me to do all this and have my Iphone 5.

So breakdown:
+200 for droid x
-350 selling droid x
+650 for iphone 4
-450 selling iphone 4
+220 getting iphone 5 plus upgrade fee

Total cost towards me would be $270

OR

Plan B:
I got my Droid x for 200 and then use my annual upgrade to get the Iphone 5 for 200 plus the 20 dollar early upgrade and sell my Droid x for about 220 (my guess anyway for people buying a droid x around sept of 2011). So, I will only be spending 200 bucks when I get my Iphone 5.

Breakdown:
+200 for droid x
+220 for iphone 5 (hopefully at that time)
-220 selling droid x (my guess around that time)

total cost $200

What do you guys think? Is it worth a 70 dollar difference to have the Iphone 4 now and get the Iphone 5 during my annual upgrade? I say yes. Note: These are all assumptions that the Iphone 5 comes out and my sales numbers figure out which I think it will. Thanks for reading!

Oh yea, or I could hold off until 5/24/12 and use my NE2 towards iphone 5 or wait til 6 comes out? Naaaaaaaaaah.

 

[DannyBoy]

My business gives me a one year upgrade... But the iPhone holds its value waaay longer than any droid....not that it's tons better but because of the launch schedule. Just sell before the new and you can pay for a new phone.... Last 2 updates I haven't payed any..

 

[sunrat39]

Yea you are lucky if you get one year upgrades from your business. But, does plan A sound like reasonable idea?

 

[pigeon]

I don't think verizon us planning on releasing the iPhone 5 this year anyway

 

[mpossoff]

Ok, currently I own the Droid X from verizon which I signed a two year contract with on 9/24/10. Here are two scenarios for me getting the iPhone and I would like to see what you guys think.

Plan A:
I bought my Droid x for 200 on 9/24/10. Sell the Droid x for about 300-350 and buy a full priced Iphone 4.
So, I spent 200 for the droid x and will sell for lets say 350 and buy the iphone 4 for about 650. This is a difference of 500 bucks I would be paying out in the long run.

Then when the Iphone 5 comes out lets say late this summer, I can sell my Iphone 4 for about 450 (my estimate from current ebay sales from ATT and their iphone 4 has been out for sometime) and buy the Iphone 5 on 9/24 using my Annual upgrade (which would cost me 220 including the upgrade fee). So, it would cost me about 270 for me to do all this and have my Iphone 5.

So breakdown:
+200 for droid x
-350 selling droid x
+650 for iphone 4
-450 selling iphone 4
+220 getting iphone 5 plus upgrade fee

Total cost towards me would be $270

OR

Plan B:
I got my Droid x for 200 and then use my annual upgrade to get the Iphone 5 for 200 plus the 20 dollar early upgrade and sell my Droid x for about 220 (my guess anyway for people buying a droid x around sept of 2011). So, I will only be spending 200 bucks when I get my Iphone 5.

Breakdown:
+200 for droid x
+220 for iphone 5 (hopefully at that time)
-220 selling droid x (my guess around that time)

total cost $200

What do you guys think? Is it worth a 70 dollar difference to have the Iphone 4 now and get the Iphone 5 during my annual upgrade? I say yes. Note: These are all assumptions that the Iphone 5 comes out and my sales numbers figure out which I think it will. Thanks for reading!

Oh yea, or I could hold off until 5/24/12 and use my NE2 towards iphone 5 or wait til 6 comes out? Naaaaaaaaaah.

are you able to sell droid x for $350?

 

[wildrage]

Keep in mind that the AT&T iphone 4 is selling for $450 and it is the LATEST model. When the iphone 5 comes out that price will drop a lot. Check to see how much the iphone 3GS's are selling for, that more like what you'll get for the iphone 4 when the new one is announced / comes out. The same thing will happen with the Droid X when the newest Android headsets come out on Verizon in the next few months.

I always sell my phone when the rumors of the new phones start to pop up on Engadget, etc (when most of the general public hasn't noticed yet).

I'm like you in that I try to do whatever I can to get the latest technology, and make those price justifications in my mind lol.

Some advice - if you're sure you want to get rid of the Droid X, sell it ASAP - the price will drop soon!

Good luck with your strategy, tho!

 

[dwagner88]

I don't know if you'll be able to get 450 for the iPhone 4 if you try to sell it after the iPhone 5 is already out in September. Personally, I'm gonna be patient and get the iPhone 6. the iPhone 5 probably won't have LTE, and should be a relatively minor upgrade of the internals. I'm expecting the 6 to be a more substantial upgrade.

 

[sunrat39]

Yea I have seen some Droid X's go for near 350 on ebay. Plus, mine is in mint condition. Maybe I will sell it for around 320. Also, I have seen some 3gs go for mid 300's and this is when the Iphone 4 has been out for 8 months or so. I would sell my iphone 4 maybe 3 months after the release of iphone 5 so hopefully have a little bit higher asking price.

So maybe the difference is more like instead of 70... still not bad though right?

 

[jerparker]

I just sold my Droid X on eBay for $335, I was surprised to get that much

are you able to sell droid x for $350?

 

[TeamRiceRacing]

I got $350 for my Droid X with Accesories they bought. I have multiple lines so I just upgraded on of them and switched the iPhone to my line. Thankfully my mom and wife are happy with their phones and have no plans to upgrade! If their phones die they just have me find their exact model for cheap. They hate new stuff. Haha.

 

[nilax2]

Keep in mind that Verizon has done away with the early upgrades. If you are on a one year contract then you are good to upgrade this September, but I suspect since you mentioned that you would pay the extra $20 for the early upgrade you are on a two year plan. If you are on a two year plan, you would not be eligible for an upgrade until 9/2012.

I debated whether to hold out for the iPhone5 myself, but here's what I did. I was not eligible to upgrade until this December. I also had an old generic flip phone for VZW still in my possession. So what I did was added a line to my share plan ($10 a month) and had it assigned to my old flip phone (no data). I then went in with my eligible upgrade for the new line and got the iPhone4 for my original number. Rather than spend full price for the iPhone, I will end up paying $240 over 2 years to get the phone, but more important to me is that essentially I can get a new phone every year (rotating which line I apply the upgrade to, but always putting the new phone on my real number).

 

[sunrat39]

Keep in mind that Verizon has done away with the early upgrades. If you are on a one year contract then you are good to upgrade this September, but I suspect since you mentioned that you would pay the extra $20 for the early upgrade you are on a two year plan. If you are on a two year plan, you would not be eligible for an upgrade until 9/2012.

I debated whether to hold out for the iPhone5 myself, but here's what I did. I was not eligible to upgrade until this December. I also had an old generic flip phone for VZW still in my possession. So what I did was added a line to my share plan ($10 a month) and had it assigned to my old flip phone (no data). I then went in with my eligible upgrade for the new line and got the iPhone4 for my original number. Rather than spend full price for the iPhone, I will end up paying $240 over 2 years to get the phone, but more important to me is that essentially I can get a new phone every year (rotating which line I apply the upgrade to, but always putting the new phone on my real number).

From what I remember reading was that yes, they did go away with the Early Annual Upgrade but it was for people that signed with Verizon AFTER Jan 16, 2011 or something like that. I will go to Verizon today and verify but everywhere else I have read was that I will get my yearly update. I might just pony up and just buy the iphone 4 for verizon because I am getting really OCD about it lol. I wonder if Best Buy will price match Apple.com at $599 because they want an EXTRA $100 for their Iphone 4. Or they could ATLEAST price match Verizon which is $649.99. After I buy this full price I think what I will do is sell it on ebay and just buy phones at full price and not worry about upgrade pricing or being locked in with a company again.

 

[nilax2]

Keep in mind that Verizon has done away with the early upgrades. If you are on a one year contract then you are good to upgrade this September, but I suspect since you mentioned that you would pay the extra $20 for the early upgrade you are on a two year plan. If you are on a two year plan, you would not be eligible for an upgrade until 9/2012.

I debated whether to hold out for the iPhone5 myself, but here's what I did. I was not eligible to upgrade until this December. I also had an old generic flip phone for VZW still in my possession. So what I did was added a line to my share plan ($10 a month) and had it assigned to my old flip phone (no data). I then went in with my eligible upgrade for the new line and got the iPhone4 for my original number. Rather than spend full price for the iPhone, I will end up paying $240 over 2 years to get the phone, but more important to me is that essentially I can get a new phone every year (rotating which line I apply the upgrade to, but always putting the new phone on my real number).

From what I remember reading was that yes, they did go away with the Early Annual Upgrade but it was for people that signed with Verizon AFTER Jan 16, 2011 or something like that. I will go to Verizon today and verify but everywhere else I have read was that I will get my yearly update. I might just pony up and just buy the iphone 4 for verizon because I am getting really OCD about it lol. I wonder if Best Buy will price match Apple.com at $599 because they want an EXTRA $100 for their Iphone 4. Or they could ATLEAST price match Verizon which is $649.99. After I buy this full price I think what I will do is sell it on ebay and just buy phones at full price and not worry about upgrade pricing or being locked in with a company again.

I would have been eligible for an early upgrade in April, but was told that I was not as they had done away with it completely on Jan 16 (for all, not just for new customers).

 

[CalifJewls]

Nilax2- you will be able to do one last and final annual upgrade in April to purchase an iPhone 4 for the upgrade pricing, since your an existing customer. After that upgrades are every two years.

When you call or speak to a Verizon rep in April you have to be sure to have them speak to a supervisor to clarify, if the original rep says no.

I upgraded my phone annually for years with upgrade pricing and did this exact thing.

As for the original post, sure you can buy a phone every year for full retail price, I currently have the iPhone 4, and if I find the iPhone 5 irresistible then I will sell my iPhone 4 for approx. $300, I bet Verizon gives us current iPhone 4 owners a discount for purchasing iPhone 5 (I understand even ATT gives discount), let's say a discount of $150, now I purchase the new iPhone 5 for $650 - $450 = total out of pocket cost $200 with a $20 charge from Verizon to add the new phone. Worst case senario Verizon doesn't give a discount which I find hard to believe and it cost you $350 to have the latest iPhone.

 

[Obed]

Nilax2- you will be able to do one last and final annual upgrade in April to purchase an iPhone 4 for the upgrade pricing, since your an existing customer. After that upgrades are every two years.

When you call or speak to a Verizon rep in April you have to be sure to have them speak to a supervisor to clarify, if the original rep says no.

I upgraded my phone annually for years with upgrade pricing and did this exact thing.

+1

thats exactly what i just did. I was up for upgrade in Aug. got it early. The rep was practically breaking her back to explain that I couldn't do it again (that the policy had changed)

either way, my iPhone just shipped