iPhone Duo Q&A: Should a Lifelong Samsung User Switch?

Quick summary: It’s iPhone Duo week, so I answered your questions. How Apple trade-ins work, whether you can pre-order cases, whether a lifelong Samsung user should switch, and how to pay off a carrier phone bought at Best Buy.

Key takeaways

• Apple trade-in credit for online orders comes after Apple receives and inspects your old phone. Samsung credits it up front.
• You likely can’t pre-order official cases with the phone. Get the phone first, and the case after.
• If you love the iPhone’s feel and notifications, try it. Apple doesn’t charge a restocking fee.
• If you buy a carrier phone through Best Buy, you still pay it off through your carrier.

Credit cards and debt

Some of you joked that I said I don’t like debt and then paid with my Apple Card. I pay every credit card in full each month, so I never pay interest. I use cards for the rewards, the convenience and the security: if a card is stolen, it’s credit at risk, not your cash.

How do Apple trade-ins work?

If you buy online, you don’t get the trade-in value immediately. You send your phone in, Apple inspects it, and once it’s approved, usually a couple of weeks after they receive it, the credit is applied. So if the phone costs $2,000 and your trade-in is worth $800, you get that $800 back later. Samsung does the opposite: it gives you the credit up front and charges you if you don’t send the trade-in.

Can you pre-order a case?

When I pre-ordered, I didn’t see an option to pre-order the official iPhone Duo case. They’ll probably go like hotcakes. My advice: get the phone first and worry about the case after. Third-party options like dbrand and BENKS are good to know about.

Should a lifelong Samsung user switch?

One viewer has a Fold 7 and wants an iPhone Duo for FaceTime and easier video sharing with family. Sending videos shouldn’t be hard as long as everyone has RCS on.

What I personally love about Android is the feel of the OS, the notification system, and animations you can make really fast and snappy. My watch, earbuds and glasses are all tied to Android. But if you like how an iPhone feels, try it. You have nothing to lose, since Apple doesn’t charge a restocking fee.

Buying through Best Buy on a carrier

Best Buy is the middleman. You still pay the phone off through AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or whoever your carrier is. Once it’s paid off, the carrier unlocks it, sometimes after 30 or 60 days. Best Buy sometimes has better deals or extra credits, so it’s worth checking.

A cooling trick in the hinge

There’s also a report that Apple uses the iPhone Duo’s hinge as a “heat highway” to help keep the phone from overheating. Pretty genius if true.

Accessories I’m using

• Cases: BENKS, dbrand
• Grips: OhSnap Snap Grip, PopSockets Low-Pro and Kick-Out
• Apple Pencil (USB-C), AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch
• Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 from Meta or Best Buy
• Anker MagSafe power bank and Anker 25,000mAh power bank