I’m looking to get the new iPhone on a instalment plan. From what I can see, Rakuten only allows instalments if you have their credit card, so it looks like I can’t use them. None of the other companies currently have the iPhone 14 from what I can see, save for au.
I was on their website, and they’re advertising a “Smartphone Toku Program”, where, after 24 months, the remainder of the instalment fees on the phone itself are waived, on the condition that the phone is returned to them. If you want to keep the phone, you need to continue paying the remaining instalments. The example they give is on an iPhone 13, they collect the phone in the 25th month, and the total amount you’ve paid is 127,495 yen, with you not needing to pay the remaining 62,520 yen.
Seems like a pretty good deal, it would let you get the phone for cheaper in the end and also allow you to upgrade pretty frequently. Has anyone else used this before? Do you have any feedback?
2 comments
Yes, this works, and many people use it. Not a scam/bait/whatever.
As you said, you don’t “own” the phone but it becomes cheaper for upgrades, and you don’t have to deal with trying to sell it when new model comes out, just go back to the au shop and upgrade.
Docomo has a similar program too, if you are worried about AU network coverage.
The full sale price is much higher at au/SoftBank/docomo than at Apple Store (sim free). Make sure you take that into account.