In a move that is likely aimed at curbing the rampant abuse of what was until now a fairly generous policy, Apple will no longer sell you unlocked iPhones that have been financed either by T-Mobile or Verizon.
Apple has just updated its FAQ related to carrier-financed iPhone 17 Pro purchase, disclosing that your "iPhone will be locked to the carrier until paid in full"
As first spotted by a Reddit user and delineated in a dedicated post, Apple has just updated its FAQ for buying a carrier-financed iPhone 17 Pro, disclosing the following policy change:
"If you choose to finance an iPhone through the AT&T Installment Plan, T-Mobile Equipment Installment Plan, or Verizon Device Payment Program, your iPhone will be locked to the carrier until paid in full."
Of course, iPhones financed via AT&T's installment plans were already locked to that carrier. However, T-Mobile and Verizon previously allowed you to finance an unlocked iPhone via installment plans.
This now-lost facility also allowed T-Mobile and Verizon users to port their SIM over to a different carrier without paying off the device's residual balance first. When combined with lucrative promo offers, the resulting bundle of subsidies and implied benefits was substantial both in its scope and scale.
Of course, this is merely the latest in a rapidly growing litany of anti-consumer steps that T-Mobile has taken in recent days. For instance, it has just terminated its promo-type $800-per-line cellphone subsidy for existing customers, and has axed nearly all of the legacy and grandfathered plans, bumping up their users to newer plans that entail an average price hike of around $4 per line.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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