So! You've made up your mind already to get one of those new iPhones you keep hearing about. In case you’re not interested at all in getting shackled to a two-year phone contract with the major telcos, the iPhone 11 series are available for purchase directly from Apple. 

To ensure that you’ll be able to flex the trypophobia-inducing phones when it drops on Sept 20, it’s best that you camp by your computers this evening (Sept 13) when the pre-orders kick off at 8pm. 

Some pros and cons when you purchase from Apple instead of telcos. You’ll be getting a SIM-free iPhone with the freedom to use and change carriers at any time without having to pay the — at times — exorbitant monthly fees when locked in a contract. 

The downside is having to fork out the device’s full price upon purchase, though DBS/POSB, OCBC and Citi credit card owners can apply to pay the cost across a 12-month instalment period at 0 per cent interest.

Price tags

As a refresher, here are the price points for each individual model: 

iPhone 11 (White / Black / Green / Yellow / Purple / Red)

• 64GB - $1,149
• 128GB - $1,219
• 256GB - $1,389

iPhone 11 Pro (Space Grey / Silver / Midnight Green / Gold) 

• 64GB - $1,649
• 256GB - $1,899
• 512GB - $2,199

iPhone 11 Pro Max (Space Grey / Silver / Midnight Green / Gold) 

• 64GB - $1,799
• 256GB - $2,039
• 512GB - $2,349

Trade-ins

Got a past-gen iPhone you think is worthy enough to get some cash back before plopping some moolah for an iPhone 11 model? Apple’s trade-in program lets you exchange an eligible device for money back via bank transfer. 

The trade-in values are determined by Apple’s approved third-party partner (handled by Brightstar Asia in Singapore), and the money you’ll get back is based on the condition and model of your device. A 256GB iPhone 8 Plus in good condition can get you up to $430 in cash, and that’s a decent chunk of change to go into your iPhone 11 purchase. 

But that’s if you’ve been really careful with your phone, and we all know everyone’s dropped theirs at least once or twice. Ding your device a wee bit too much and it’ll obviously be valued much lower. If it’s bad enough, you might not even get any cash back, but hey, at least they’ll help recycle the device for free.

AppleCare+

Speaking of dings and drops, there's always insurance: AppleCare+. Every iPhone purchase automatically comes with a year’s duration of hardware repair coverage (through its limited warranty) and up to 90 days of complimentary tech support, but AppleCare+ extends that coverage to two years. 

At a price, of course — an extra $269. For that amount (on top of the already high iPhone prices), users get direct 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone, same-day repair services in most Apple Stores worldwide, and even an Express Replacement Service so you can get a fresh iPhone delivered to you to replace a damaged one.

AppleCare+ also covers up to two incidents of accidental damage, but even then you’ll have to fork out more money as service fees. 

Getting AppleCare+ really depends on you though — if you’re really finicky about getting Apple’s official tech support and have the money for it, then sure, go ahead. If not, there are probably hundreds of non-Apple alternatives to get your damaged iPhones repaired at potentially cheaper costs. Just don’t complain when these independent mobile store technicians accidentally mess up something in the process. 

Phone cases

Unless you’re one of those absolute monsters who don’t believe in phone cases, you should probably invest in some proper protection. Luckily for you, you don’t have to wait for Sept 20 to get a protective case for your new iPhone. 

From soft silicon ones to the rugged shock absorbers, there's already a massive array of cases for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max available online. And they’re cheap AF too! Though we probably recommend you don’t get any casing that’s under $20 — they’re not exactly bastions of quality. 

My recommendation? The semi-rigid, super-grippy phone cases produced by Magpul, a firearms accessories manufacturer based in the USA. The company’s known for its high-tech polymer and composite accessories — like rifle stocks, weapon grips, and firearm magazines. So on top of military-grade protection, your phone will look pretty badass too. Magpul doesn’t have any cases for the iPhone 11 series for now, but they’ll eventually come out with them, so that’s something you can look forward to purchasing in the future. 

ilyas@asiaone.com

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