Carrier-financed iPhones in the US now get locked to that carrier Comments
- Lordvoldemor
- pM$
Never found the logic behind locking the phone. If I am buying a phone with a contract, i am already paying for rhe Hardware + Data/call/sim whatever. End of the year or 2 years, the provider is taking the money anyway and I have no way to cancel. So why locked?
- ollyb1
- I2e
are we going backwards now, why they need to lock the phone?? they used to do that in the UK but they’ve abolished it years ago, the only phone that’s locked is the pre pay phones but all contracts phone are sold unlocked now.
This is just another way that companies want to make life harder for you.
Fight this.
I don't know if it is similar in the US but in Canada it is required to be unlocked at request, If it is the same you should purchase and then immediately call and request unlock.
- potato4k
- I2c
I Am GoD 9, 16 Jul 2026Locking phones serves the carriers and are functionally a waste of time. As long as people kee... moreWell, good thing is carrier locking is not universal. Most of the world has eliminated this practice. I believe only the US and Japan who are still big on carrier locking (cmiiw).
- ollyb1
- AA8
are we going backwards now, why they need to lock the phone?? they used to do that in the UK but they’ve abolished it years ago, the only phone that’s locked is the pre pay phones but all contracts phone are sold unlocked now.
- I Am GoD 9
- qxV
Locking phones serves the carriers and are functionally a waste of time. As long as people keep buying, they will keep manipulating I mean selling. We should have never accepted x,xxx cc phones as standard and other anti consumer business, without your dollar they cease to exist. If a significant number of humans woke up, the system would be forced to acquiesce
- Paximos
- raN
Wasn't that the case already????
- potato4k
- XVe
Wow, the carriers are back with their shenanigans. I really never understand the logic behind carrier locking, when other countries also have carrier subsidies and contracts but the phones are unlocked, and they don't seem to be having problems with that business model.
If the concern is scalpers, well, US iPhones are all eSIM only, and that would already deter scalping for selling it overseas.
I'm going to guess this is a concession from Apple to the carriers to have larger subsidy, offsetting the iPhone upcoming price increases.
- ScrappyGaymer
- g{c
There's a reason I NEVER do monthly carrier plans to pay off hardware and always pay the entire price up front. I never do the newest phone "free" with my data plan. Most of what I own is used or new but independent from requiring a monthly payment; such as from Walmart. I don't really get the "I Need the newest phone every year and obviously cannot seriously afford it if I'm paying monthly for 24 months and won't even keep the phone for more than a year." It's a vicious cycle and I've had people tell me "It must be your credit (card) but I'm only paying for my data" NO lol you are paying for your data but also the cost of the phone! They just hide it in there and mark it as a monthly data payment. Not only that but I've been able to buy 3 Foldables used off of ebay for under $800 2 of them unlocked and all fully functioning. Average consumers are LAZY. If you wanted to save eWaste and get a fully functioning phone that was hundreds of dollars cheaper; you could. Even as old as only a year. But unfortunately convenience drives the average consumer to be lazy while they make all the money and keep growing in size. I don't even feel bad for these people I just know I'm making the better decision buying used and getting very cheap unlocked devices I never have to worry about carrier-restriction wise. Maybe someday people will learn. But today is not that day unfortunately.
- Anonymous
- q3U
Anonymous, 15 Jul 2026Not to mention how much grip US carriers have, it's weird.Grip on what exactly? There are endless MVNO's that you can take a device to and use at half the price of service, or less than the carrier itself offers.
- Anonymous
- q3U
Wake up, 15 Jul 2026so we are going back to 2016
in europe evry phone is all carrier for life after 2015
evry ph... moreYou can still buy an unlocked phone directly from Apple, or Samsung, or anyone.
You just can't finance it via a carrier and take it to another carrier. Each carrier has it's own financing deals that they subsidize via higher cost plans. Only people on a post-paid plan can get these deals.
- Anonymous
- 60J
Anonymous, 15 Jul 2026A US friend of mine was baffled when I explained this to him. But it wasn't always lik... moreNot to mention how much grip US carriers have, it's weird.
- Anonymous
- 60J
pl2rts, 15 Jul 2026More reasons why not to buy Apple devices.
When will they move to a point where you have lice... moreOr just buy a phone outright?
Because to my knowledge, all big US carriers do this with all other brands, unless unlocked and bought outright.
- Anonymous
- E5h
Wake up, 15 Jul 2026so we are going back to 2016
in europe evry phone is all carrier for life after 2015
evry ph... moreA US friend of mine was baffled when I explained this to him.
But it wasn't always like that, since 2012 every phone is unlocked in my country, but before that only some brands like Apple.
- pl2rts
- m2J
More reasons why not to buy Apple devices.
When will they move to a point where you have license to use their devices only for the 5 years and then they shut down the device to not be usable.
- Anonymous
- 70d
arcadianwind, 15 Jul 2026Imagine paying financing for a phoneHave you ever heard of credit cards?
- Richc1992
- nI8
Wtf in the uk everyohine is unlocked by law
- Anonymous
- pYd
For the majority of people, this should make a difference. Buy at Apple with 0% or juat buy outright from a retailer and buy a cheap sim.
- Wake up
- J1$
so we are going back to 2016
in europe evry phone is all carrier for life after 2015
evry phone sold in europe is unlocked
usa ...... greatest........ nope
