With the unveiling of Apple’s next-generation iPhone only a few hours away, many iPhone owners are learning that they will be able to upgrade sooner than originally thought. Last night, AT&T adjusted eligibility requirements so that more iPhone owners will be able to get the new device when its launched — many of whom weren’t eligible for upgrade until November of this year.
The news isn’t exactly shocking. Last year, AT&T allowed iPhone 3G users to upgrade to the newer iPhone 3G S at the same discounted price as new subscribers. The move followed customer criticism about having to pay a $200 fee to upgrade to the iPhone 3GS before their two-year contract was over. (AT&T discounts new hardware with the expectation that it will make up the subsidy through subscribers’ monthly fees.) Now AT&T is getting ahead of the crowd to make sure recent customers will see the same heavily-subsidized iPhone pricing as new and out-of-contract users.
It was somewhat surprising last year that AT&T allowed customers to upgrade early. Had it been any other device, AT&T would have likely held its ground and forced users to either pay the early-upgrade fee, or wait until their contract was over. But because they were iPhone users, and because AT&T wanted as little bad publicity as possible, they received special treatment. In other words, good luck if you’re dying to get a new BlackBerry but don’t want to pay full freight.
AT&T will now have to continue with the early-upgrade offer for every new iPhone release. Existing customers who upgrade early will get signed up for another two-year contract, but the carrier is still losing out somewhat. Still, it’s more than worth the cost for AT&T since it keeps users from defecting to other carriers.
To check if you’re eligible for an early iPhone upgrade, log-on to AT&T’s website and click the “Check Upgrade Options” link.
