19th September 2025 - 6 min read
The iPhone 17 is finally here! While that shiny new device looks great, the premium price tag can be tough to swallow. Plus, our team at RinggitPlus loves a good financial puzzle, so we decided to tackle the big one: can you really stack enough deals, rebates, and reliefs to make the new iPhone almost free?
We wish! We spent time crunching the numbers, digging through past promotions, and building a definitive game plan. While you can definitely slash the price of a brand new iPhone 17 Pro Max from its hefty RM5,999 to less than RM900, it’s not as free as we hoped. That being said, it’s still around 85% off the original retail price. Here’s how we did it:
The first and most powerful step in this plan is getting the maximum value for your old phone. This move alone can cover more than half the cost of your new device, and it’s a topic we took so seriously that we dedicated 3 days to finding the best place to sell a used iPhone in Malaysia.
In that investigation, we visited 8 different stores and found that while official trade-ins at places like the Apple Store offer convenience and around RM4,000 in credit, selling it yourself for cash could net you up to RM3,876 from a physical reseller, such as CeX or 3Cat.
With the trade-in sorted, it’s time for the real magic. This is where we layer on extra savings from every angle possible. By stacking offers from banks, online shopping platforms, and even lifestyle tax rebates, we can chip away at the remaining cost until it’s almost nothing.
During the iPhone launch period, banks are all competing for your attention. This is great news for us, because it means a buffet of rebates, cashback deals, and vouchers, especially when you shop at Apple Authorised Resellers like Machines, Switch, or Urban Republic.
We dug through the typical launch offers, and here’s the kind of value you can find:
| Bank | Offer Details | Value (Max) |
| HSBC | RM388 cashback for Premier cardholders. (RM188 for other HSBC cards) at the Apple Store | RM388 |
| Maybank | RM200 direct cashback at Machines | RM200 |
| RHB | RM200 cashback at Machines for Easy Payment Plan purchases Up to RM200 cashback + RM100 cash voucher at Switch / Urban Republic RM300 OFF (Shopee) Up to RM550 OFF (Lazada) | RM200 RM200 + RM100 RM300 RM550 |
| AEON | RM300 OFF (Shopee) Up to RM550 OFF (Lazada) | RM300 RM550 |
| Alliance Bank | RM150 cashback at Machines for Easy Payment Plan purchases Up to RM200 cashback + RM100 cash voucher at Switch / Urban Republic | RM200 RM200 + RM100 |
| UOB | +RM100 on top of the standard trade-in value at Machines OR Switch | RM100 |
| Public Bank / Ambank / BSN / CIMB / UOB / Hong Leong Bank | Up to RM250 cash voucher at Urban Republic OR Switch | RM250 |
*Terms & Conditions Apply.
Our pro tip? Scout these deals ahead of time and pick the single best one for your situation. If you’re buying in-store, that HSBC Premier offer is usually the highest direct discount you can get.
Hack 2: The Online Shopping Triple Dip
If you’re an online shopper, Lazada and Shopee are your best friends during the launch. These platforms are a goldmine for stacking discounts. You can often combine a trade-in bonus, platform cashback, and a bank voucher all in one go.
Shopee: We found you can score an extra RM150 on your trade-in (at the Apple store), earn up to RM350 worth of Shopee Coins, and then use a bank voucher from RHB or AEON to get another RM300 off. That’s a triple-dip of savings.
Lazada: The real prize here is the pre-order bank vouchers. We saw banks like RHB, AEON, and UOB offering a massive RM550 OFF voucher when you spend over RM5,000.
Our final hack is one many people forget about: the lifestyle tax relief from the Malaysian government. You can claim up to RM2,500 when you buy a new smartphone, which helps reduce the amount of income tax you have to pay.
Now, this isn’t a straight-up RM2,500 discount off your phone. The saving is your personal tax rate multiplied by what you claim. Here’s a quick look at what that means in real money:
This is essentially a cash rebate from the government that you get back when you file your taxes. It’s a fantastic way to bring down the real cost of your new phone.
So, after all that research, what’s the final damage? We ran the numbers for two scenarios to find the absolute lowest price you could pay for a new iPhone 17 Pro Max. We’ll be using the higher end of our estimates to get the most optimistic scenario.
Scenario A: The Ultimate In-Store Deal
This is for someone who wants the convenience of buying at a physical store while maximising discounts.
| Item | Calculation | Amount (RM) |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max (Retail Price) | RM5,999 | |
| Less: Apple Store Trade-in | – RM4,000 | |
| Less: Best Credit Card Rebate (HSBC) | – RM388 | |
| Less: Lifestyle Tax Relief (30% bracket) | – RM750 | |
| Your Final Price | RM861 |
Scenario B: The Ultimate Online Deal
This is for the savvy online shopper who’s willing to put in the effort to get the lowest price possible.
| Item | Calculation | Amount (RM) |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max Price | RM5,999 | |
| Less: Selling Your Old Phone for Cash | – RM3,876 | |
| Less: Best Lazada Voucher (RHB/AEON) | – RM550 | |
| Less: Lifestyle Tax Relief (30% bracket) | – RM750 | |
| Your Final Price | RM823 |
So, there you have it. While you can’t walk out of a store with a new iPhone for free, paying about RM823 for a brand-new flagship phone feels pretty close.
Getting this deal isn’t about finding one magic coupon; it’s about having a smart strategy. Start with a high trade-in value, layer on the best bank and retail promos you can find, and don’t forget to claim that tax relief. It takes a bit of planning, but as we discovered, the payoff is significant.
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Comments (2)
This is frankly silly. The trade in value is exclusively for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The tax rebate is for the 30% bracket – no one earning that much cares about penny pinching. Plus this excludes the amount of spending already eligible for lifestyle rebate. For many people, it is a basic broadband plan + a basic phone plan, which already comes up to RM150 per month or RM1,800 per year.
Thanks for your comment! 😊
Yes, the trade-in value applies specifically to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the tax rebate mainly affects those in the 30% bracket. The aim is simply to share the available options for anyone interested, even if the impact differs depending on individual spending and lifestyle.
Appreciate you sharing your perspective!