If you're on the iPhone Upgrade Program or looking to finance a fresh new iPhone 13 through Apple, you can get started now. The pre-approval process is live, so once you get that out of the way, the pre-order for your new iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro on Friday will take just a few clicks.

iPhone Upgrade Program pre-approval page

The reason that Apple does this is because it's had problems with the iPhone Upgrade Program in the past. The service started with the iPhone 6s, so when the iPhone 7 launched, it was the first time that customers on the iPhone Upgrade Program had upgraded to a newer device. It was a disaster, and the Cupertino firm ended up doing a lot of work to make things right.

It's gotten a bit better every year since. Now, the financial side of starting the new 24-month installment plan is taken care of ahead of time. That way, when pre-orders begin, you don't get kicked to the back of the queue by spending too much time sorting out your order.

Available in the U.S., UK, and China, the iPhone Upgrade Program lets you purchase a new iPhone on installments, and then you can trade it in for the new one yearly. You can actually trade in your device as early as six months from the date that you got it, but you do have to have paid 12 months of payments, so if you trade in after six months, you'll have to pay for another six months up front. It comes with AppleCare+ as well, so if the device it damaged, you can easily get it replaced.

The iPhone 13 series starts at $699, while the iPhone 13 Pro series starts at $999. Of course, that plus the cost of AppleCare+ is divided up into 24 installments. If you're on the iPhone Upgrade Program, you should have an email in your inbox to get started with the pre-approval process. If you just want to finance an iPhone 13 through Apple when you pre-order, you can get the pre-approval process started from the product page.

The iPhone 13 Mini is a tiny phone that packs plenty of power. If you dislike big phones, then this is for you.
Apple iPhone 13

Apple's iPhone 13 series has a new 120Hz OLED display, a faster processor, better cameras, and more.