The iPhone 4S: Can I Upgrade? Maybe
October 5, 2011
For U.S. customers, Apple has setup a fantastic tool indicating what it will cost to upgrade your existing phone to an iPhone 4S. The tool, available here, is for AT&T and Verizon customers only.
With two-year contracts, the iPhone 4S is priced at $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB) and $399 (64GB). In addition, the iPhone 4 (8GB) is available beginning October 14 for $99. Finally, you can soon get an iPhone 3GS for absolutely free. The nice part about Apple’s tool is that it also indicates when these subsidized prices kick-in, assuming you cannot update your phone now without paying a higher price.
For example, one of the phones on my family’s AT&T plan isn’t up for renewal until next March. As such, to upgrade that line, I’d have to pay $549 for the iPhone 4S 32GB model.
Naturally, not everyone is going to be happy knowing they can’t upgrade. Worst still, your eligibility isn’t simply based on when you last purchased a smartphone.
According to TNW, who spoke to AT&T representatives, upgrade eligibility is based on several factors. These include:
Your billing history – If you have defaulted on your account or been late in payments, then this could lengthen the ‘early upgrade’ wait period for you. If, on the other hand, you were a loyal paying customer who has a history of paying when due, that could shorten the period. The length of your contract – Yes, how long you’ve been on contract is still a factor in this. If you’ve only been on contract 6 months, it is unlikely that you will see an upgrade plan. A “variety of other factors” – They would not specify what these were.Finally, "the one thing that I could not get them to say outright is that your plan, that is, how much you pay for service on AT&T, was one of the factors that AT&T considered when calculating your eligibility." Really, the best way to determine your iPhone 4S eligibility is to use Apple's tool and go from there. To use the tool, you'll be asked for your cell phone number, billing zip code, last four digits of your social security number, and your billing password, if applicable. As a final note, we'd love to hear from you. Let us know using the comments below if you qualify for an iPhone 4S upgrade. In doing so also tell us the last time you purchased a smartphone and how many lines are on your account. Thanks!
