iPhone Xs Carrier Pricing Round-up: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
The new iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, and iPhone XR were revealed at Apple headquarters yesterday – today come the carrier prices. Today we're running down the various costs of this smartphone collection (two of the three), for each major carrier in the United States as well as Apple proper. You also might well want to take a peek at our giant iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max hands-on while you're at it. Wouldn't want to buy a phone without getting up close and personal.
Through the Apple Store
The Apple Store will have each of the devices available with their carriers activated on the spot, but they'll also have these devices available off-contract and without carrier conditions. These are the full prices of the phones as they come from Apple, without carrier activation.
• iPhone Xs base price: 64GB: $999, 256GB: $1,149, 512GB: $1,349
• iPhone Xs Max base price: 64GB: $1,099, 256GB: $1,249, 512GB: $1,449
There are several versions of each iPhone available, with each version coming with a different internal storage size. The rest of each of these phones is the same, the only different is internal storage size. All prices in the rest of this article are based on the lowest tier device, the 64GB, for each phone.
Apple has its own set of monthly payment plans available for iPhones, and with the launch of this Xs/XR generation, these prices are largely the same at each carrier, across the board. Or at least they are at launch time.
iPhone Xs:
• From $999 or
• $49.91/mo w/iPhone Upgrade Program ($1197.84) or
• $41.62/mo for 24 months ($999) w/ Apple iPhone Payments
iPhone Xs Max:
• From $1099 or
• $54.08/mo with iPhone Upgrade Program ($1297.92)
• $45.79/mo for 24 months ($1099) w/ Apple iPhone Payments
AT&T
The prices of AT&T's installment plans as listed in the Apple Store are one single cent higher than that of Apple's own "Apple iPhone Payments" plan. So that's kinda weird.
• iPhone Xs: From $999 or $41.63/mo for 24 months ($999) with AT&T Installment Program
• iPhone Xs Max: From $1,099 or 45.80/mo for 24 months ($1099) with AT&T Installment Program
AT&T launch and preorder dates have not yet been shared by AT&T proper – but it's a safe bet they're the same as everywhere else.
Verizon
Verizon has several deals going on, each one with different ins and outs you'll want to pay close attention to. One says "For a limited time, when you buy an iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8+, iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max you can save $700 on your second iPhone when you purchase both on a Verizon device payment plan and activate a new line of service. This is for new and existing customers." That's supposing you need another line of service, of course.
Verizon's also got "$100 minimum trade-in" on several new iPhones when you've purchased said devices on the Verizon device payment plan. That's sort of a promotion, but almost a given, since these phones are brand new and shouldn't be worth less than $100 anywhere in the near future.
Those consumers who buy "any iPhone" on Verizon's payment plan will "qualify for $100 off any iPad with a device payment plan or $50 off an Apple Watch on device payment plan." Basically Verizon really, really wants you to come in and start up a payment plan on as many devices as you're able to afford.
• iPhone Xs: From $999 or $41.62/mo for 24 months ($999) with Verizon Installment Program
• iPhone Xs Max: From $1,099 or 45.79/mo for 24 months ($1099) with Verizon Installment Program
Also of note: The Verizon cash amounts above are straight from Apple. Verizon also sent us a list of prices which was ever-so-slightly different. The starting payment plan price for the iPhone Xs from Verizon was $41.66 per month for 24 months ($999.99). For iPhone Xs Max, the price was $45.83 per month for 24 months ($1,099.99). Just a few cents difference – and a strange amount, too!
Verizon preorders for iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max and Apple Watch start on 9/14, and in-store availability and launch begin on 9/21.
T-Mobile USA
T-Mobile has plans that'll let you spread out the price of the phone, but which require that you make a down payment. T-Mobile also has a qualifying and eligible iPhone trade-in program that'll give users up to $300 "towards the purchase price of their new iPhone via 24 monthly bill credits on T-Mobile's interest-free installment plan."
• iPhone Xs: From $999 or $279.99 + $30/mo for 24 months ($999) with T-Mobile Equipment Installment Plan
• iPhone Xs Max: From $1,099 or $379.99 + $30/mo for 24 months ($1099) with T-Mobile Equipment Installment Plan
T-Mobile orders for iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max and Apple Watch Series 4 begin on September 14 at 12:01AM PT online, at participating T-Mobile stores, or "by calling their Team of Experts."
Sprint
As far as we're able to discern, Sprint's pricing is the same as Apple's. Sprint's not come forward with any special offers, and will probably launch the device at the same time as the other carriers. We'll see!
UPDATE: Sprint has an interesting deal going on having to do with their leasing program. This deal is valid for the next two weeks, so probably right around the 28th of September. In that time, users can "get iPhone Xs for $0 per month (after $41.67 per month credit) with an eligible trade-in and Sprint Flex Lease." So you'll get "credit" after you pay that amount per month, which essentially means you'll have Sprint money to spend, not necessarily that you're getting a free iPhone.
The iPhone Xs Max is in a similar deal where users get said phone for $4.17 a month (after $41.67 per month credit) with an eligible trade-in and Sprint Flex Lease. Pre-orders for both the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max have gone live at the point at which this update goes live. In-store availability begins on Friday, September 21st.