Charlotte, NC – Apple began shipping iPhone 14 pre-orders last week. Google is expected to unveil a new Pixel phone next month and SAMSUNG should have another new device early in the year. If you’re looking at your old device and thinking about upgrading, you should know that the difference you’ll get for your old device could be hundreds of dollars, depending on where you go.
Curious about opportunities, I compared prices at various places to find the best deals.
Apple takes the trade in iPhone and many Android devices, but what they offer is a little less than their own carriers.
For example, Apple’s website offers the following business values:
● iPhone 13, $470
● iPhone 12, $320
● iPhone 11, $220
● iPhone X, $130
● iPhone 8 75 dollars
● iPhone 7 40 dollars
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile offer more for these devices. For example, I found AT&T offering $800 for an iPhone 11 with the purchase of a new iPhone 14. Verizon and T-Mobile offer similar deals. If you’re upgrading to the iPhone 14, your best bet is to check with your carrier.
This is a good time to shop around for better plans and lower prices. If you’re looking to switch from one wireless company to another, carriers often offer better deals to encourage you to switch.
It’s important to note that trade-in prices are highly dependent on the condition of your existing equipment. Phones with cracked screens or backs are often worthless. You can have them repaired, but the cost of repair may be higher than the purchase price. Also, if you are hoping to trade in the phone, you should make sure that the repair shop uses original Apple parts. A fixed background other than the original Apple logo may cause the value to drop to nothing.
If you’re looking to sell your phone outright, you can check out Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Gazelle, and Amazon. You can compare prices for the phone you are trying to sell.
And if you’re looking to buy a device without trading it in, you can check out those same stores for old phones. I’ve found several iPhone 8 devices under $200.
One important note about buying a used device: Be sure to contact the seller at the nearest carrier store. Take that phone in and ask them to check it. If the phone is stolen, it won’t be worth anything to you. Once I was in my carrier’s store and a young woman came in with a phone she had bought on Facebook. The shopkeeper checked it and found it stolen. She paid several hundred dollars for a device she only uses as a paperweight.
