Last call: the iPhone 17 is coming – but this could be your last chance to score an iPhone 16 Pro Max without a trade at Verizon

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The launch of the upcoming iPhone 17 may be looming, but deals on the soon-to-be-older iPhone 16 series are still worth considering this week. Verizon's deals, for example, are so good that there's a case for picking them up while you still can.

Today's best deal at Verizon is definitely the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is currently available for free alongside a new line on the Ultimate unlimited plan. Granted this plan is the highest-end option at the carrier (and pricey), but you don't even need to trade-in to be eligible for this particular promo.

I expect once the iPhone 17 Pro Max lands within the next few weeks, you'll most likely have to trade in to get a similar discount. Generally speaking, rebates are often capped at $1,000 off, so you might not even be able to get a new Max for free when preorders are open.

In comparison, this deal on the 16 Pro Max at Verizon gets you a device that's still valued at $1,199 at no additional cost (over your hefty plan costs, that is). Will this deal stick around after the iPhone 17 is released? Potentially, but I think there's a case for picking it up regardless if you're not looking to trade-in an older device for a potential discount.

Get a free iPhone 16 Pro Max without a trade at Verizon

iPhone 16 Pro Max: free with a new unlimited line (no trade) at Verizon

iPhone 16 Pro Max: free with a new unlimited line (no trade) at Verizon
Verizon's current deal on the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the best the carrier has ever offered on the device. Right now, you don't even need to trade-in to get this phone, which is still valued at $1,199, for free alongside a new line on an Ultimate unlimited plan. Yes, that's the priciest plan at the carrier, but this is still a significant discount that's well worth considering if you want a high-end device.

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Note, if you're not interested in the Ultimate plan at Verizon (which is understandable, given its cost), you can also consider the carrier's deal on the iPhone 16 Pro. Right now, this $999 device is available for free under the same terms on any of the carrier's postpaid unlimited plans. That includes the more budget-oriented Welcome unlimited plan, which, as you'd imagine, is much cheaper than the Ultimate option.

If you'd prefer to stick it out and wait for the iPhone 17, then don't forget to check in regularly at TechRadar over the next few weeks. Alongside roundups of the best preorder deals, we'll also have full hands-on reviews and plenty of unbiased buying advice for our readers.

More Verizon deals this week

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: free with a new unlimited data line at Verizon

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: free with a new unlimited data line at Verizon
Verizon's headline deal on the iPhone 16 series is this excellent promotion on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This device, which is still valued at $1,200, is currently available for free without a trade-in with a new line on an Ultimate plan. While the Ultimate plan is the highest-end plan, and subsequently the priciest, this is one of the rare occasions you've been able to get this premium device for free without the usual trade-in criteria.

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Free NFL Sunday YouTube ticket: with phones and internet plans at Verizon

Free NFL Sunday YouTube ticket: with phones and internet plans at Verizon
New and existing Verizon customers alike can get a free NFL Sunday streaming ticket worth up to $480 at the carrier. This flexible promotion is eligible with a wide range of internet and phone plans and includes completely unlimited streaming for the upcoming 2025 season. Note, however, that it doesn't stack with some of the carrier's discounts that are also available on the latest phones.

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Alex Whitelock
Deals Editor

Alex is TechRadar's deals editor, specializing in getting our readers the best bang for the buck on the tech that we know and love. He's a dab hand at covering retailer events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day having over seven years of e-commerce experience at Future PLC; including bylines at our sister sites T3 and GamesRadar. Alex's expertise touches on most areas of TechRadar but he has a particular love for phones, laptops, and cameras, being an avid photographer. Outside of work, you'll find him indulging his love for street and travel photography, at home working on music, or down at the local climbing gym.

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