If I use Apple Card Monthly Installments, will my new iPhone be locked or can I use it in my Country?

It won’t be locked to any carrier, but US iPhones do not have a physical sim card slot and require carriers that support eSims. There don’t appear to be any eSim supporting carriers in Ethiopia. You won’t be able to use in Ethiopia with a physical sim card.

click here ➡️ About eSIM on iPhone - Apple Support

and here ➡️ Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service - Apple Support

Also, warranty will only be valid in the US.

Sorry, I don't see anywhere in those terms that the Phone will be locked to any carrier. Goldman Sachs would not have anything to do with that so would not have added that to their terms, and in fact Apple states on the website when buying the iPhone using the Apple Card installments that it will be unlocked. But you do need to select a US carrier to make use of the Apple Card installment option and either already have or start a plan with one of them.

It is not showing a 2 year contract with the carriers. It is showing the 24 months of the Apple Card installment plan.

Available to qualified customers and requires 24-month installment loan

when you select Citizens One or Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI)

as payment type at checkout at Apple. You’ll need to select AT&T,

T-Mobile, or Verizon as your carrier when you check out. An iPhone

purchased with ACMI is always unlocked, so you can switch carriers at

any time. Subject to credit approval and credit limit. Taxes and

shipping are not included in ACMI and are subject to your card’s

variable APR. Additional Apple Card Monthly Installments terms are in

the Apple Card Customer Agreement

(Opens in a new window)

. Additional iPhone Payments terms are here

(Opens in a new window)

.

ACMI is not available for purchases made online at special storefronts.

The last month’s payment for each product will be the product's

purchase price, less all other payments at the monthly payment amount.

ACMI financing is subject to change at any time for any reason,

including but not limited to, installment term lengths and eligible

products. See https://support.apple.com/kb/HT211204 (Opens in a new window)

for information about upcoming changes to ACMI financing.

Koko2419 wrote:

Hi, I am in the same situation, I bought an iPhone from Apple Store USA via Apple installment plan. To activate my phone I am asked to provide AT&T credentials while I am not an AT&T customer nor I want to be one. Any solution to activate my phone and bypass the AT&T credentials? Also I am not in the USA and there are no Apple Store or AT&T in my current location. Thanks

That does not make much sense.

When buying an iPhone using the Apple Card Monthly Installments, you would have needed to selected your carrier at the time of purchase and provide an active phone number for it, it does not get automatically selected and you could not have bought the iPhone if you did not have an active phone line or started anew plan during purchase. So you had to know you chose AT&T when buying it. However, as previously stated, the Apple Card Installment Plan does not cause the iPhone to lock to the selected carrier. Apple Card Installments will always produce an unlocked iPhone.

If you actually selected the AT&T Installment Plan, rather than the Apple Card monthly installments, then yes, it is locked to AT&T, but Apple clearly warns of this and you had to consciously select AT&T for that to happen. It cannot happen by mistake or without you knowing about it.

Apple can do nothing about it. Only AT&T can unlock it if its locked to them.

With that said seems like an important part of the story is missing here. How did you buy this iPhone? What specific installment plan did you use?

Also, what exactly makes you think its actually locked to AT&T?

I have actually entered random numbers a couple times, it gave me an error message at first and after the 3rd trial it gave the option to setup the number later. I have successfully activated the phone and I can install an eSIM from any carrier. The phone is not locked! Thanks!

Requiring a 2 year contract is not the same as being locked. Also, its not actually requiring a 2 year contract with a carrier. Its saying you will be paying for the iPhone for 24 months as part of the Apple Card installment plan. It has no relation to the carrier's service plan.

You do need an active service plan with one of the carriers though.

I actually bought the phone though Apple Store USA online using Apple installment plan and not AT&T and you are right I was asked to pick one of the three carriers and I picked AT&T and didn’t have to provide a phone number (there was a note saying that the phone will be unlocked anyway). I bought an iPhone two years ago using the same Apple installment plan and wasn’t asked to pick a carrier (I also found online that GS changed its terms last august to you have to pick a carrier when paying via Apple installment plan). Also in the receipt from Apple it says that there is no commitment with AT&T. When I try to activate my phone I am asked to provide AT&T credentials.

As was explained above, you need an active phone line with the selected carrier to access the Apple Card Installment Plan.

It is technically not locked to AT&T, but it is requiring an AT&T phone line to setup. Once actually set up, it should be usable with any carrier.

The carrier requirement is a new thing. It wasn't required previously for the Installment Plan.

As it is now, without a functional AT&T number, you won't be able to setup the iPhone.

This is why buying a device in a country you don't intend to use it in, is never a good idea.

Don't believe there is any way around that, unless you know someone with an AT&T phone line you can borrow. The problem is, it will transfer their line to your Phone, and you would then need to remove it, and they would have to re-transfer it to their device.

I’m not aware of any workarounds for AT&T, only T-Mobile. Try contacting Apple Support in your country or region.

Choose your country or region - Official Apple Support

Apple Card Monthly Installment (Goldman Sachs Bank) changed the terms and conditions of ACMI plans effective August 15, 2023.

Yes, when the iPhone is purchased and it’s financed using ACMI, it’ll be locked to the carrier for the term of the plan.

https://www.goldmansachs.com/terms-and-conditions/Apple-Card-Customer-Agreement.pdf

Your photo shows the three carriers and shows the plans available and they require a 2 year contract/24 month. Carriers lock eSIM/sims when under contract. You can request an unlock once the contract is paid off or you payoff the full contract early. Carriers have always locked phones under contract.

Something odd is going on. The latest Apple Card Customer Agreement that is on Apple’s site (you linked to above) and the one on GS site have removed all verbiage regarding ACMI.

I looked at AT&T plans and at the very least it looks like they’d have to pay over $100 the first month for least expensive unlimited, no contract plan. Afterwards about $85 a month. A prepaid is worse, because to get the cheapest plan you have to prepay the first year ($300). So, from a 3% cash back perspective, it makes no sense. Why spend $100+ to save $30 (3% on a $1000).

But if purchased through Citizens, it’s an installment loan, vs Goldman.

But in either event, it’s being activated in-store or before it ships. So, at time of purchase, you need to know your carrier and plan or you could choose poorly if you’re intending to switch carriers.

By the time it activates, pick a plan for a month or two, the costs out weigh any advantage except need to spread out payments.

Hi, I am in the same situation, I bought an iPhone from Apple Store USA via Apple installment plan. To activate my phone I am asked to provide AT&T credentials while I am not an AT&T customer nor I want to be one. Any solution to activate my phone and bypass the AT&T credentials? Also I am not in the USA and there are no Apple Store or AT&T in my current location. Thanks

@Jeff Donald, what is the work around with T-Mobile? My wife has T-Mobile and wants to get her daughter a phone on installments, but her daughter uses MetroPCS. How can my wife get the phone on ACMI, but not actually pay for another line of service on T-Mobile?