From PC Mag: If you’re buying an iPhone directly from Apple, there’s a new policy change you need to be aware of: the company now locks all carrier-financed devices to their respective carriers.
The change, spotted by a Reddit user in Apple’s FAQs for the iPhone 17 Pro, primarily affects customers who are used to having their iPhones financed by T-Mobile and Verizon.
Apple partners with all three major US carriers for payment plans. While devices financed through AT&T were already carrier-locked, those financed through Verizon and T-Mobile came unlocked. This allowed many customers to take advantage of Verizon and T-Mobile’s trade-in values and promotional discounts without limiting their phones to a single carrier.
That loophole has now been closed, and Apple has standardized its policy for all carrier partners. “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,” the company says on its online store.
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