iPhone - buying upfront a good idea?

OldLadyOfThreadneedleSt

Hi. I'm helping someone who wants to get an iPhone. After looking at the various contract deals currently on offer from the main networks, I had a look at the MSE page on "Cheap iPhones" (moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-iphone).

As well as the useful comparison tool, which throws up deals that aren't available from the main networks directly, I saw the "Top Picks" tab where MSE suggests buying the iPhone upfront is actually a good deal if you can afford it - the person I'm helping can afford it as they've just come by a bit of money (a bank job or a tax refund, I can't remember which).

This seems like it might be a good idea (plus they've already got phone insurance through a fancy bank account), combined with a SIM only deal. But am I overlooking anything? £550 is a lot of dosh for a mobile - it seems they want the latest and greatest iPhone 5S, or possibly the 5C at £470 - though by the looks of things you end up paying for it one way or another, whether upfront or locked into a 24 month contract.

Thanks for any words of wisdom.

(Also, I'm sure I could find plenty of comment on this elsewhere, but 5S vs 5C - is the extra £80 really worth it? 16GB model is all that's needed.)

macman

If you can afford the upfront cost, then yes SIM only is usually better if you must have the latest all singing and dancing handset.

NFH

It is definitely the best way to buy an iPhone and you have a good approach. Other advantages are:

• The user can change networks easily by not being locked into a long contract.
• The iPhone will not be SIM-locked, meaning that the user can use local SIM cards abroad, and avoid unreasonably high roaming charges imposed by UK networks.

OldLadyOfThreadneedleSt wrote: »

MSE suggests buying the iPhone upfront is actually a good deal if you can afford it

If someone doesn't have enough savings to afford £550 upfront, then they can't afford the iPhone either, regardless of how they fund it. They shouldn't be committing to a high monthly charge (which includes repayments for the iPhone) if they are so short of spare money.

OldLadyOfThreadneedleSt wrote: »

£550 is a lot of dosh for a mobile

True, but you pay even more than this if you acquire it via a long-term service contract.

poundsinbucks

Am looking to buy iPhone5S 16GB and will get a GiffGaff sim to keep monthly costs down. Anyone know of any iPhone offers at the mo for just the handset? Thanks in advance .

Poundsinbucks x

Ant555

I recently did this.
I bought an iPhone 5c from CEX on the high street as I didn't want to pay full whack at Apple. Others may have an opinion on CEX but for me it was a good option because I could inspect the exact phone I was interested in before purchasing. Engaging the manager in conversation earned a slight discount and almost £100 less than at the Apple store. They had several 'grade A' phones that I inspected that honestly looked brand new and were completely unmarked.

I was also wary of purchasing a phone from somewhere and finding that it was stolen and subsequently imei locked and rendered unusable (which I am told could happen 6/8 weeks down the line).
They offer 12 months warranty and when I checked the serial number of the iPhone on the Apple web site I found that the phone still had almost 11 months Apple warranty on it as well.

This, with a 30 day SIM-only contract with loads of minutes/texts and 1Gb data has been the perfect solution in my case.

gjchester

poundsinbucks wrote: »

Am looking to buy iPhone5S 16GB and will get a GiffGaff sim to keep monthly costs down. Anyone know of any iPhone offers at the mo for just the handset? Thanks in advance .

The 5S is selling pretty well and you'll be unlikely to find many deals, the 5C is not selling well and the area wheere there may be offer.

Taht said Apple do not like discounting and will do all they can to stop it happening.

Ant555 wrote: »

I was also wary of purchasing a phone from somewhere and finding that it was stolen and subsequently imei locked and rendered unusable (which I am told could happen 6/8 weeks down the line).

CEX is probably a safe bet given the 12 month warranty, but
it can be blocked *anytime* down the line, could be 12 months and 1 day after you bought it, result will be the same, the phone will be locked out of UK networks and only the original purchaser can remove that bar.

SteveHenshaw

Buying outright is always the best option. That being said I'd avoid the iPhone anyway, it's too expensive for what it is. If you've come into money it's better spent elsewhere. Get a Nexus 5.

cookie365

If you really must have an iphone - and with the Nexus 5 available at a fraction of the price there's no good reason to - then avoid the 5c.

It's only purpose is to be so stupendously overpriced that it makes the merely ridiculously overpriced 5s look like a good deal in comparison

Harald

cookie365 wrote: »

It's only purpose is to be so stupendously overpriced that it makes the merely ridiculously overpriced 5s look like a good deal in comparison

Seriously? I found 32GB white 5C, just few days old for 400.

BTW: Nexus 5 is not as good as Nexus 4 was and latest Android went way too far locking users to Skyne.. Google services.
Making Google hangouts default app for texting is good, but not only example

OldLadyOfThreadneedleSt

Thanks everyone for your helpful input - the decision has been made to just buy it upfront. I'll return and post a bit more on this soon.

NFH

Pleased to hear it. I wish everyone took this wise approach.