iPhone Upgrade Program Pre-Approvals Now Available Ahead of iPhone X Launch

Monday October 23, 2017 11:38 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple customers who participate in Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program and are planning to buy an iPhone X can now use the Apple Store app to get pre-approved for a purchase ahead of iPhone X pre-orders. Pre-approvals will be available for a limited amount of time.

To initiate the pre-approval process, customers will need to download the Apple Store app and choose their preferred iPhone X model to get their loans approved before pre-orders go live this Friday. The process is designed to make it easier for customers to get through the checkout process when pre-orders kick off.

iphonexpreapprovals

Image via David Martin

When pre-approval has been obtained, iPhone Upgrade Program customers can use the Apple Store app to complete an iPhone X purchase once pre-orders are live. According to the Apple Store app, pre-orders will begin at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 27.

Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program is designed to allow customers to upgrade to a new iPhone after at least 12 payments have been made towards an existing iPhone. The Upgrade Program, which includes AppleCare+, requires customers to trade-in their current phones to get a new phone.

iPhone Upgrade Program members are able to use a Trade-in Kit this year to return their existing devices to Apple, alleviating the need to visit an Apple Store to purchase a new device.

iPhone Upgrade Pricing on the iPhone X costs $49.91 per month for the 64GB model and $56.16 per month for the 256GB model.

Upgrading to a new device through the iPhone Upgrade Program last year was a hassle because customers were required to reserve a device at a local retail store and supply was limited, but this year, iPhone Upgrade Program customers will go through the same order process as other customers. Though the wording makes it sound like iPhone Upgrade Program customers will be able to pre-order more quickly than others, that's not the case. This process offers pre-approval for the credit check portion of the iPhone Upgrade Program and does not otherwise speed up pre-ordering.

A fast and easy upgrade process will be essential this year, as rumors have suggested the iPhone X will be in seriously short supply. Available iPhone X stock is likely to sell out quickly, perhaps within minutes of when pre-orders go live. There may be a long wait for an iPhone X throughout the rest of 2017, with supply picking up during the first few months of 2018.

Following pre-orders on October 27, the first iPhone X devices will ship out to customers on November 3.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo

Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by Juli Clover

With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...

• 116 comments

Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]

Thursday October 22, 2026 11:01 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple has temporarily removed Keynote, Pages, and Numbers from the App Store, just after releasing an update that added iPhone Duo support and a new Intelligent Assistant. It is not clear if the apps were removed intentionally, or if it is a bug. Apple has not said when the apps will be reinstated, but if it was in error, they should return soon. Update: The Mac versions are back without...

• 68 comments

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today sent out invites for an experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, and the "Pro and tell" tagline on the invitation likely means that the rumored MacBook models with touch-enabled OLED displays will stick with MacBook Pro branding instead of the once-rumored "MacBook Ultra" name. The long-rumored "iPhone Ultra" ended up being named iPhone Duo, so speculation that Apple...

• 170 comments

Top Rated Comments

tigres

118 months ago

Hopefully a speedy process for those of us just paying full upfront.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ripper998

118 months ago

If production numbers are anywhere near accurate, no-one but Apple Upgrade members will be getting phones this year...and they are likely to be backordered too, heh! :)

You do realize you have to preorder still like everyone else? Just because you got a preapproval doesnt put you at the head of the line. Your still making your monthly payments no matter what

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

vtboyarc

118 months ago

This is what I was worried about as well....if you pre-approve...you have a hard pull on your credit....and if delivery is way off, and you decide to cancel and get something else, then you impacted your credit for no reason. Feels like you really have to be committed to a buy even without knowing the delivery date. Hmmmm

False, it is a soft pull IF you are already a member of the IUP.
If you are applying to the IUP for the first time, it is a hard pull.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

OppsIpreorderedthe8

118 months ago

$56.16 x 24 mos = $1347.84 o_O

MBP 13" = $1299

Nah. $56.16 x 12 months = $673.92

Then we get to pre order again!!!

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

i hate phones

118 months ago

Yes, i assume the iphone X pre order will be the same. YOu get pre-approved a few days before, and then the night of, open the Apple Store app at 3:01 am or whatever, and you literally just hit "confirm order." You pick the model and color and everything with your pre-approval days before. Then everything is waiting for you to go, and it literally takes 5 seconds, no joke. It's a small advantage Apple gave IUP customers, but its a bit of an advantage nonetheless.

I found this reply in one of the iPhone 8 pre order threads... Not sure if this means confirm order will magically appear when you open the app or what. Right now when I open the apple store app I see the "you're ready to pre-order on 10.27" message at top and it allows me to view pre order. Maybe that will just change to confirm order when it goes live.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)