It's been two years since I upgraded my phone and that means my two year contract expired and I get to upgrade. I have to say this has been one of the more complicated pricing decisions I’ve had in a very long time.
I know everyone hates their phone company (just like they hate their internet provider and cable provider), but I’ve been happy with AT&T over the years. I got my very first phone on AT&T Wireless, which became Cingular, which became AT&T, and it’s been fine. I was a day #1 buyer of the first iPhone and have been carrying along my unlimited data plan the whole time.
Still, AT&T has been trying to get me off the unlimited data plan. I ran ALL the numbers basically the only way to keep the Unlimited data plan at the same 2-year ownership cost as AT&T Next or the Apple Replacement program, I had to sign another two year contract. I think eventually I’ll probably get off the unlimited data, but I like to keep it as long as I can.
These were my rough calculations for 64GB iPhone 6s+ with AT&T:
- 2 year contract: $399 up front & $30/mo data plan: $1,119
- Apple Pricing with Unlimited: $42.45/mo phone & $30/mo data plan: $1,738.8
- Apple Pricing with 3Gb data: $42.45/mo phone & $15/mo data plan: $1,378.8
- AT&T Pricing with Next 24 with 3Gb data: $35.37/mo phone & 15/mo data plan: 1,208.88
I moved up the iPhone 6s+ - yep, I’m joining the plus club. I used to pooh-pooh the idea than anyone used their phone for real computer, but then I had two kids. I probably do 80% of my non-work computing on my phone at this point because it’s the device I have when we’re at the park, at the mall, at our friends houses, wherever. I just don’t have a chance to use a real computer any more.
I’ll admit I’m super intrigued to be using my plus-size phoned with my bluetooth Apple Keyboard. Absurd? Sure, but perhaps, just perhaps, absurdly awesome?