It’s the world’s smallest, thinnest and lightest 5G phone with a dual-camera system. If you’re dying to get your hands on Apple’s iPhone 12, but have yet to make the commitment due to the price, Spark and Vodafone’s new offers might change your mind.

The network giant is offering a pretty sweet deal for Kiwis: you can save over $450 on an iPhone 12 and AirPods with a Charging Case in one simple offer. However, before signing up, it’s a good idea to look at the overall costs involved.

Vodafone’s iPhone 12 deals

Vodafone has three deals on offer:

• iPhone 12 64GB + AirPods with Charging Case
• iPhone 12 Mini 64GB + AirPods with Charging Case
• iPhone 12 64GB

As part of the deal you also have to sign up to one of Vodafone’s endless data monthly plans for a total of 36 months (3 years). These come in three sizes:

• $60 Medium: 12GB Max Speed Data
• $80 Large: 40GB Max Speed Data
• $100 Extra Large Pay: 100GB Max Speed Data

If you sign up before the end of June, you also get one month of your chosen plan for free, which adds up to an extra $60-$80, depending on the plan you opt for.

Are Vodafone’s deals worth it?

Deal One: iPhone 12 64GB + AirPods with Charging Case

Individually, according to Apple’s website, the iPhone 12 will set you back $1499 and for AirPods $279.

Individual total: $1499 + $279 = $1778

Under Vodafone’s deal, for the iPhone 12 and Airpods you pay $34.13 over 36 months ($1228.68) plus a $99 deposit. 

Vodafone’s deal total: $1228.68 + $99 = $1327.68

That’s a saving of $450.32, which is like getting the AirPods for free plus a $171.32 discount on the iPhone 12.

iPhone 12 Mini 64GB + AirPods with Charging Case

Individually, according to Apple’s website, the iPhone 12 Mini will set you back $1349 and for AirPods $279.

Individual total: $1349 + $279 = $1628

Under Vodafone’s deal, for the iPhone 12 Mini and Airpods you pay $29.97 over 36 months ($1078.92) plus a $99 deposit. 

Vodafone’s deal total: $1078.92 + $99 = $1177.92

That’s a saving of $450.08, again, which is like getting the AirPods for free plus a $171.08 discount on the iPhone 12.

iPhone 12 64GB

Individual total: $1499

Under Vodafone’s deal, for the iPhone 12 you pay $29.16 over 36 months ($1049.76) plus a $99 deposit.

Vodafone’s deal total: $1049.76 + $99 = $1148.76

That’s a saving of $350.08 on the price of an iPhone 12.

Of course, it’s up to you to decide if the deal fits your budget. And it depends whether you like the idea of paying for something over the course of 36 months, versus just paying up-front.

If you’re looking at purchasing both AirPods and an iPhone 12, the deal is definitely worth considering. However, for just an iPhone 12 on its own, Spark offers a greater discount (see below). But first understand what you’re signing up for.

Cost of Vodafone’s phone plans

While the deal on Apple’s tech bundle is a good one. Remember that you’re signing up for a 36-month deal. On the three different price plans, that works out to some big numbers:

• $60 – 12GB Monthly Plan: $2160
• $80 – 40GB Monthly Plan: $2880
• $100 – 100GB Monthly Plan: $3600

At the moment, the price of endless data plans are still quite high. Who knows what similar Vodafone plans will cost a year or so from now, but you can bet that they’ll be cheaper.

And, even now, there are better endless data deals out there. For example, Skinny’s endless data 12GB plan is only $46 per month.

But, if a markedly cheaper deals comes along, you could always just break the contract.

In the deal’s small print, Vodafone states: “Saving evenly spread over the agreed Interest Free term … Balance of Bundle cost must be repaid if you exit, transfer or trade down your plan before your Interest Free Term expires, and any remaining Interest Free discount will be lost.”

This means your $450 discount is spread over the three years. So if you break your contract half-way through, after you’ve repaid your outstanding balance, you will still have saved $225 on the phone-n-pods bundle!

Add a companion plan to save more

Each of the monthly plan includes:

• Endless data (reduced speed once limit reached)
• Unlimited voice calls and texts to standard NZ & OZ numbers
• Hotspot at no extra cost
• Vodafone rewards
• You can add up to three companion plans for an extra $30 per month

So, say you sign up for the $60 monthly plan and add a friend or family member, you could spread the $90 cost and get all the above for $45 a month each, which is a pretty good deal for unlimited data, and cheaper than Skinny’s 12GB plan.

Spark’s iPhone 12 deals

Spark has two main deals:

• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 Mini

As part of the deal you also have to sign up to one of Spark’s $59.99 or above monthly plans for a total of 36 months (3 years). These come in three sizes:

• $59.99 Endless Data (12GB at Max Speed) inc. half-price Spotify
• $79.99 Endless Data (40GB at Max Speed) inc. Spotify or Netflix
• $99.99 Endless Data (100GB at Max Speed) inc. Spotify or Netflix

Unlike Vodafone, Spark only allows you to add companion plans to its two $99.99 plans, at an extra $29.99 per person.

Are Spark’s deals worth it?

iPhone 12 64GB

RRP iPhone 12: $1499

Under Sparks deal, you pay $30.53 over 36 months  

Spark’s deal total: $30.53 x 36 = $1099.08

That’s a saving of $399.92 on the cost of an iPhone 12

iPhone 12 Mini 64GB

RRP iPhone 12 Mini: $1349

Under Sparks deal, you pay $26.36 over 36 months  

Spark’s deal total: $26.36 x 36 = $948.96

That’s a saving of $400 on the cost of an iPhone 12 Mini

Spark also has a side deal, offering $100 off AirPods or AirPods Pro if you add the interest free payments to your Endless data plan. Plus it allows you to use the same $400 discount on iPhone 12 models with more memory.

If you’re not interested in AirPods, Spark’s $400 discount on the price of a standalone phone is $50 better than Vodafone’s iPhone deal. But while Spark’s phone plans do come with Netflix and Spotify perks, you have to splash for their top-shelf $99.99 products before you can take advantage of their companion plans.  

Cost of Spark’s phone plans

As we mention above, in regards to Vodafone’s plans, even though Spark’s $400 iPhone 12 discount is a big one, remember that you’re signing up for a 36-month deal. On their three different price plans, that works out to:

• $59.99 plans = $2159.64 over 3 years
• $79.99 plans = $2879.64 over 3 years
• $99.99 plans = $3599.64 over 3 years

And while you can break the plan at any time and move to a cheaper one, you will be expected to repay the remaining balance of your phone in full, without the discount. As Spark highlights in its T&Cs: “Sometimes we offer discounts on interest free payments for certain devices when you’re on a certain plan. If you move off that plan (e.g. if you downgrade your mobile plan) you will lose that discount from that point onwards.”

The iPhone 12: what’s new?

New design

Apple’s iPhone 12 range sports a flat-edge design, as opposed to the rounded edges that have been a feature of recent generations, incorporating an edge-to-edge display. Each model in the range has an IP68 rating for water resistance. The phone’s Ceramic Shield front cover provides increased durability. 

New camera specs

Apple states that Night mode on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini delivers “brighter pictures and better contrast for photos shot in low-light settings”. The Deep Fusion feature provides for more texture and less noise, while both models can shoot HDR video with Dolby Vision at up to 30fps. In addition, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max can shoot HDR video with Dolby Vision at up to 60fps. Apple states a new LiDAR scanner provides for faster and more realistic AR experiences and improves auto-focus by 6x in low-light scenes.

5G speeds

This means superfast downloads, and high-speed streaming. 5G connectivity is a headline feature for the iPhone 12. While the 5G rollout is still in its early stages, as the 5G network spreads, 5G connectivity is set to become an essential feature of all new phones.

Find the best phone plans with Canstar

If the above hot iPhone offers haven’t pulled you in, but you still want the best phone plan deal around, then Canstar Blue is here to help.

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