The iPhone 13 is coming, but you should grab this excellent iPhone 12 deal right now

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Last year's flagship iPhone is this year's bargain. Get the iPhone 12 for $600, then get a $200 rebate for a net cost of just $400. (Photo: Apple)
Last year's flagship iPhone is this year's bargain. Get the iPhone 12 for $600, then get a $200 rebate for a net cost of just $400. (Photo: Apple)

iPhones are not cheap phones; never have been. But with a little strategy, you can own one without breaking the bank.

For starters, never buy the latest model. In this case that means the iPhone 13, which is likely to be announced at next week's Apple event and should start shipping soon thereafter. Unless Apple has figured out how to add a hot-fudge dispenser, I have zero interest; the new flagship will likely feature the usual "slightly faster processor" and "slightly better camera." Big whoop.

Ah, but an imminent new iPhone means deals on the previous iPhone. And here's one of the best I've seen: For a limited time, and while supplies last, mobile carrier Visible is offering the iPhone 12 (64GB) for $600, which is $199 below what Apple charges.

But wait, there's more: If you stick with Visible for at least three months, you'll receive a $200 virtual prepaid credit card, which is practically the same as cash. Intrigued? You should be. Read on.

$600 $799 at Visible

Visible operates on Verizon's 5G network, with a single plan that offers unlimited everything for just $40 per month. That's already a solid deal, but if you take advantage of the carrier's Party Pay option, you can get that down to $25 per month.

Whatever you choose, there's no contract involved; you can switch carriers at any time. However, as noted, you do need to stay with Visible for at least three months to score your $200 bonus. (Speaking of which, the only other requirement there is porting in an existing number from another carrier.) What's more, your phone will be locked to Visible for the first 60 days; after that, the carrier will automatically unlock it.

As for the iPhone 12, it's available in your choice of red, black or white, and you can opt for 128GB or 256GB of storage (for an extra charge, of course). If you don't want to pay that much out-of-pocket, you can get 0%-APR financing, starting at $25 per month for 24 months.

For anyone still chugging along on an older iPhone and/or paying $60-plus per month to one of the big carriers, this deal deserves careful consideration. In the end you're saving $399 on the phone itself and upgrading to 5G service at a very competitive rate.

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