iPhone 12 Starts at $799 With T-Mobile and Sprint Activation After All, SIM-Free Model Still Starts at $829

Earlier this week, Apple's online store indicated that T-Mobile, Sprint, and SIM-free models of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini would start at $829 and $729 respectively in the United States, which was $30 extra compared to AT&T and Verizon models.

iphone 12 colors trio
However, coinciding with the start of pre-orders for the iPhone 12 today, it turns out that T-Mobile and Sprint are now offering customers the same "instant discount" of $30 with activation. This means the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini now start at Apple's advertised $799 and $699 prices respectively with activation on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint.

SIM-free models of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini continue to start at $829 and $729 respectively for use with any carrier.

It is unclear why the "instant discount" for T-Mobile and Sprint models showed up three days after AT&T and Verizon models, but it has certainly created a confusing situation for customers. Pre-orders of the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are available now, while iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max pre-orders will begin Friday, November 6.

There is no price discrepancy with iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models, which start at $999 and $1,099 respectively regardless of the model selected.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...
maxresdefault

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options...

Top Rated Comments

Jman13 Avatar
62 months ago
Still garbage that they advertise the price at $799 when it's actually $829. Because the carriers will charge you an upgrade fee, you're going to pay that $30 regardless, and it's so bogus, given that when you buy a phone outright the carrier needs to do NOTHING. You just put your existing SIM in and you're good.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
moabal Avatar
62 months ago
I do not really care what Apple decides to charge for the iPhone. However, going on stage and saying something starts at $699 when it really starts at $729 (iPhone 12 Mini) is just straight disingenuous.

They are more than welcome to partner with the carriers to subsidize part of the phone. However, just say the proper price of the phone! I cannot believe Apple would go this low.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sasparilla Avatar
62 months ago
Guess the mobile providers are eating that $30 - getting contract lockin as a return I suppose. Anyone who wants one direct from Apple pays a $30 tax (on top of the ~25% price increase over the 11 and removal of the charger and removal of the ear buds). Gotta say that sucks - Apple should make them the same.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deathcab Avatar
62 months ago
I think this is Apple’s way of trying to (indirectly) share in part of the carrier’s activation fees.

Pretty bad look from Apple to tie even more closely to the carriers and disappointing when there’s so much potential for Apple to instead move further away from them (they’re basically just commodity / utility providers at this point so why pander to them?). I always held out hope Apple would eventually become its own MVNO but that seems unlikely at this point.


There is a price bump compared to iPhone 11 last year, right?
Yes. Price for the unlocked 6.1” iPhone 12 is $130 higher than the unlocked 6.1” iPhone 11 at launch (not factoring in the the “value” of the accessories omitted from the 12 that were free in the box with the 11).
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChipperVW Avatar
62 months ago
So no USB-C charger, no headphones, and a $30 price increase?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltimateSyn Avatar
62 months ago

Yeah, if you buy the unlocked version its a ~28% price increase over the base 11 last year.
Am I missing something? $829 / $699 = 1.186
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)