Apple made changes to the iPhone 17 prices this year without raising them. The standard iPhone 17 still starts at $799. The iPhone 17 Pro models have the same prices as their predecessors, with the distinction that Apple removed the 128GB storage option from the smaller Pro variant. Finally, the iPhone Air replaces the iPhone Plus model, but it costs as much as the 256GB iPhone 16 Plus did last year. That said, the new iPhones are still expensive devices. You can get better deals by trading in older smartphones, including previous iPhone models.
You’ll see commercials saying you can save up to $1,100 with trade-ins of an iPhone 13 Pro or newer. Apple mentioned the trade-in discount during the iPhone 17 launch event a few weeks ago. It turns out these promotions convinced some TikTok users that the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the best iPhone there ever was, and Apple is now trying to convince you to trade it in for a newer iPhone 17 model. The conspiracy theory clip below (via The Verge) received almost 7 million views, at the time of writing.
@motiv8_tray #newiphone #iphone17 #iphone17promax #iphone17air #iphone
♬ original sound – motiv8
However, that’s hardly the case. Apple and carrier partners aren’t going after the iPhone 13 Pro Max like it’s the holy grail of smartphones. Yes, the iPhone 13 Pro Max was a great handset, and the best iPhone Apple ever made until that title transitioned to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Following that logic, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the best iPhone model ever made, and the one you can buy for less than its starting price with a trade-in. But trading the iPhone 13 Pro Max won’t give you that $1,000 discount. The confusion comes from the way Apple worded this promotion at the end of the iPhone 17 event.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max isn’t the best iPhone of all time
“We also have amazing offers, from Apple and our partners,” Apple’s marketing chief Greg Joswiak said after announcing prices for the new phones. “You can get up to $1,100 off when you trade in an iPhone 13 Pro or newer, in any condition.” The important keywords in such offers are: “or newer” and “up to.” The iPhone 13 Pro Max is not a guaranteed $1,100 discount. The newer the handset and the better the condition, the more money you’ll get back.
As The Verge points out, you’ll only get up to $320 for trading in the iPhone 13 Pro Max towards an iPhone 17 purchase. Carriers might have much better deals, as long as you agree to their terms and conditions. As for why everyone, including Apple, might be mentioning the four-year-old iPhone 13 Pro model during these promotions, that’s how things work. Last year’s iPhone 16 trade-in promos targeted iPhone 12 or newer devices. The year before that, it was the iPhone 11 and newer. Next year, the iPhone 14 will likely be mentioned in similar marketing promos.
You can trade in older devices too. You don’t need an iPhone 13 to get a discount. You should check with your carrier to see how much your current device is worth to them. On that note, a viral conspiracy theory shouldn’t motivate you to keep using the iPhone 13 Pro Max for one more year. The handset will still offer a great iOS 26 experience for one more year, but you can upgrade to the iPhone 17 if you want to, without thinking you’ll be giving up on the best iPhone Apple ever made.