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How to buy a new iPhone 11 like a pro: trade-ins, tariffs and more

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© Ben Miller / nextpit

Apple has launched its new generation of smartphones; the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Of course, you can always pop into your local Apple Store and buy the new phones for the official retail price, but there are other ways to get your hands on the new iPhones, including trade-in and pay-monthly deals.

Buy a new iPhone from an Apple Store

Apple has more than 270 stores in the United States and you can, of course, simply wander down to your nearest branch, hand over your thousand dollars and walk away with a new iPhone 11 Pro. The biggest advantage of buying in-store is that you can see and hold the smartphones before you buy. Not sure whether to go for the iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max? Go and have a feel and inform your decision. You can also talk to Apple staff about which is the best iPhone for you and your needs.

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The iPhone keynote always gets Apple fans thinking about an upgrade / © Apple (Screenshot: AndroidPIT)

The disadvantage of shopping for your new iPhone 11 in the Apple store is that they can get busy, especially at weekends of immediately after the launch of new iPhones. Usually, Apple stores are full of iPhone users looking to upgrade in the immediate aftermath of the keynote. If you do want to find your nearest Apple store though, you can do via the official Find a Store page on Apple's website (USA) and (UK).

The full list of prices in the US and UK

  • iPhone 11 64 GB - $699/£729
  • iPhone 11 128 GB - $749/£779
  • iPhone 11 256 GB - $849/£879
  • iPhone 11 Pro 64 GB - $999/£1049
  • iPhone 11 Pro 256 GB - $1149/£1199
  • iPhone 11 Pro 512 GB - $1349/£1399
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max 64 GB - $1099/£1140
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max 256 GB - $1249/£1299
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max 512 GB - $1449/£1499

Lasy year Apple priced the iPhone XS and XS Max identically on both sides of the Atlantic. This was bad news for British consumers, as the actual exchange rate between dollars and pounds is not 1:1. This year, things get even worse for the UK, with pounds sterling prices higher than US dollars for the new iPhones. At today's exchange rate, an iPhone 11 Pro Max 512 GB in the UK costs the equivalent of $1,863!

The new Apple iPhone 11 trade-in program

Visiting an Apple store and buying a new iPhone 11 outright works fine if you've got a grand burning a hole in your pocket, but what if you don't? For 2019, Apple is bringing its own trade-in program to help shift iPhones to those who want to spread the cost over a longer period. You can do this both in-store or online.

By trading in an older model, you can save some money on your new iPhone 11. The deal looks pretty good on paper, depending on what you have to trade-in. Savings of up to $600/£470 are possible, and you can spread the remaining cost to bring your monthy payments to an affordable level. If you do this process online, you'll receive a trade-in email and a trade-in kit including a box and prepaid shipping label. You'll then have 14 days to send your old iPhone.

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The headline prices look good, but you'll need a recent iPhone to trade / © Apple (Screenshot: AndroidPIT)

Trade-in values:

  • iPhone XS Max - up to $600/£470
  • iPhone XS - up to $500/£390
  • iPhone XR - up to $370/£290
  • iPhone X - up to $400/£310
  • iPhone 8 Plus up to $300/£250
  • iPhone 8 - up to $220/£180
  • iPhone 7 Plus - up to $200/£180
  • iPhone 7 - up to $150/£100
  • iPhone 6S Plus - up to $120/£90
  • iPhone 6S - up to $100/£60
  • iPhone 6 Plus - up to $80/£60
  • iPhone 6 - up to $60/£40
  • iPhone SE - up to $45/£40

Buy an iPhone from a carrier in the US

The iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max will launch with selected carries in the United States. Buying from a carrier allows you to spread the cost of your device over a longer period too - typically 24 months, as well as access other special offers and add-ons.

AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon are all offering the latest iPhones. You can order directly from Apple and choose your carrier, but the price is the same across the board if you do things this way. The iPhone starts at $29.12 per month without a trade-in. The iPhone 11 Pro starts at $41.62 per month and the iPhone Pro Max starts at $45.79 per month.

If you direct to the carrier, however, you can often get a better deal. At AT&T, for example, the iPhone 11 starts at $23.34 per month, the iPhone 11 Pro starts at $33.34 per month and the iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $36.67 per month. It's definitely worth shopping around at different carriers to see what you can get on any given day. These prices will change regularly, so if you are coming up to the end of your current contract, keep your eyes peeled and don't be afraid to switch providers if you are set on getting a new iPhone 11.

Here are the links you'll need to keep an eye on:

Buy an iPhone from a carrier in the UK

If you live in the United Kingdom, you can't order your new iPhone 11, 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max with a carrier directly from Apple's website - you'll have to go to the carriers directly to scout out a deal.

EE is offering the new iPhone line. Prices start at £44 per month for an iPhone 11, £64 per month for an iPhone 11 Pro and £69 per month for an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Trading your current smartphone will make a dent in these monthly fees, of course.

O2 customers can also get their hands on the latest Apple devices. Monthly prices start at £51.55 for an entry-level iPhone 11 and go up to a starting price of £61.44 per month for the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Vodafone, Virgin and Sky Mobile are also selling tariffs with an iPhone 11 as part of the package.

Here are the links you'll need to keep an eye on:

Have you seen a great deal on an iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max? Share it in the comments section below.

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David McCourt

David McCourt
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David enjoys staying abreast of the latest technology and newest Android apps. Outside of the office, he can be found playing snooker and writing bad 00s indie songs.

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  • David Martrano 29
    David Martrano Sep 23, 2019 Link to comment

    OK, once again 64gb's of storage and a 5watt charger in the box on the base model, 699.00 bucks, what, huh? The phone is capable of fast charging but another 50.00 bucks. Then if you want the 128gb model another 50.00 bucks. It appears your getting 50.00 bucks to death plus tax another 50.00 bucks, yikes!

    marco sarli