Unlocked iPhone Apple Card Financing

Said it perfectly!! Dodging our questions, answering us with what our whole complaint is about!! Forcing us to try to change carriers!! NO THANK YOU ! I’ll keep my carrier and cone time for my families new phones, tons of choices besides iPhone!!! Unless you retract this change!!! And fast, bad business !! For us little people and bad for you in the end!! Even other manufactures are offering 0% financing on unlocked phones just because Apple made this change!!

This statement reflects exactly why this was a poor business decision. It’s never a good strategy to disenfranchise customers and potential customers at point of purchase, let alone to adopt the notion, ‘if you don’t like it, move on.’ It tends to negatively impact sales, stock price, and market cap evaluation.

Coincidentally, Apple’s stock is down YTD and Apple has also lost its top spot in market cap eval.

well said.

I also don't see how the "workaround" (which IS what is being suggested, not just my opinion..sheesh) does what you say it does, Jeff.

If I go through a dummy order right now, it will NOT allow me to choose ACMI unless I pick a carrier.

I will keep my Apple card but it's going into a sock drawer. I will use a different card from now on--one that provides actual purchase, return and additional warranty protection as well as points from my chosen card ecosystem. So at least for myself, I've solved the issue.

But my point stands. This was a dumb move and the lack of transparency on this move smacks of the arrogance this brand has been known for. I was really hoping that Tim would stop doing this Jobs-like BS. But whatever.

Totally agree. At this point I will not be buying a new iPhone. I have typically upgraded every other year using the interest free financing. I find it discriminatory that you can only get it if you are signed up with the big three.

pkmk1996 wrote:

I find it discriminatory that you can only get it if you are signed up with the big three.

Did you bother to read any of this thread? Especially the parts that explain how that's not true?

I just learned about this new demand when I was looking into financing an iPhone as a gift - definitely not interested singing a new carrier contract for that so I guess Apple will keep that iPhone as I don't have the budget to buy it cash at the moment. Don't see a benefit for having the Apple Card now.

Sorry if this is late, I never saw any work arounds, guess I need to pay better attention, I’ll buy it on the t mobile then not activate it, great help thanks and sorry it’s been a non issue but it helped me!! Better late then never!

My experience has been whenever you select an iPhone with a carrier you are connected to that carrier until released, and you cannot connect with any other carrier.

Never again will I get new carrier linked iPhone, and think that I’ll be able to use it anywhere with any server any provider of service, because it doesn’t work. There’s a process you must go through. In my case AT&T has to let Apple know, and then Apple does something to place the phone to an unlocked condition, but only after you have completed the contract.

I go out of country and absolutely, again in my experience, you do not want one of the international AT&T plans. I suspect other major carriers operate in a similar fashion. You can’t possibly use any of their plans, and not exceed one of the limitations, and then automatically get placed into international Rates, and end up with a bill of $500-$700 for a two week visit out of country. The only way around this is to have an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple, never from a carrier, and take the Sim card out in Miami before you go over the ocean. And you have to remember to forward calls to the AT&T number they have so you don’t get charged international rates for people calling you. If you do not do this, you will get charged for international calls whether or not you answer the call or not. You must do this before leaving Miami or whatever airport you’re at that leaves our airspace. on any of the Caribbean islands, you can get a local carrier for two weeks for about $20, Claro or Altice, with unlimited data and hundreds of minutes of calling, which you won’t need much of. You can do everything on one of the messaging apps that has calling and video chatting.

going on a trip sometime this year and see how the eSIM situation affects travel. I’m assuming you can turn off the eSIM to your local carrier here in the USA, and activate an available eSIM when you get to your destination. Again, it must be an unlocked iPhone from Apple directly. If not, then One can use an Internet unlimited data plan using one of the portable Wi-Fi hotspot devices. You can still get those that use SIM cards, then you just connect to it over its Wi-Fi. If you must make local phone calls, they buy a cheap burner type phone and buy a few hundred minutes for a few pesos.

I have not tried this any other way in the past five years or so, and what I have stated here may have changed, but I doubt significantly.

Best, Seth

The past experiences you post about, were you using the Apple Card Monthly Installment plan available with your Apple Card MasterCard? That’s what this thread is about, how to use ACMI with Apple Card.

Apple can place restraints on what their representatives can say, as do every employer I’ve ever worked for. When I was an Apple Store Manager the phrase we taught Mac Specialist to use was >Google is your friend.< Meaning, go home and Google your question(s) and the answer is out there. The issue is filtering the real answer from the ads, spam, scams and misinformation. But in my experience come into this community with an open mind and just ask basic questions rather than venting your frustrations.

PS: The Apple Representative you spoke to valued his job. Just Sayn’

magnusfromarlington wrote:

And I am just saying Apple lost my business - not up for playing these games.

You should buy from whatever company best meets your needs. No one here in this user-to-user forum has a vested interest in your choice.

I missed this change and just found out in store. Was going to update phone. No thank you Apple. I can spend in Apple Store and get free Apple Card financing on most all other Apple products but, only on iPhone if you use select carrier?? I call BS. That is ridiculous. We use those carriers also when you are consumer cellular or some of the other 3rd parties. I will stop using that card at all unless they change that if that’s the case. One of their biggest selling points for Apple Card was that option on EVERYTHING Apple. Forcing people to select primary carriers when all of them resale and people are still on them.

So Apple doesn't let you finance an unlocked New iPhone and Samsung does. This is not a good financial move for apple, they should fix this ASAP or they will have people switching over to Samsung at no time...

Just got the apple card approved for $3k and was about to buy iPhone and iPad until I realized you can only get the free interest benefit if you go ATT TMobile or Verizon. No thank you. Bye $2.6k sale.

Little bit rude reply but okay, I’ll go the extra mile to answer you.

1. You are wrong assuming I’m assuming because this morning I spent several minutes over the phone with Goldman Sachs person who told me you cannot buy installments and unlocked, and with Apple sales guy that told me same thing. Neither of them mentioned I could do something to make it work, specially the Apple guy, considering we had an extended conversation about it and he fully understood what I wanted. Just, “sorry, not possible”.
2. I don’t have the time to read all the replies here. Maybe, instead of doing all the replies you do, you could post something useful explaining how to make it work, that way the best reply here wouldn’t be KACKIE’s saying the same thing as me.

Before you replied I was checking apple store to investigate a little bit more, see if maybe there was a way and read the term unlocked when selecting a carrier, so possibly there is a way, but not the way majority of people would expect, specially if Apple, through their trained staff, tells you otherwise. Have a nice day.