How do I finance an unlocked iPhone without selecting a carrier?

Exactly. If you pay full price you can pick your carrier later (For an extra 30 bucks). If you finance THROUGH APPLE, you still have to log in with a carrier. If you don't have either of those carriers already, you can't finance it. Period.

I'd believe that, except when you have select "Financing", you literally have the option to pick either carrier deals, or "Only from Apple".

If you pick a carrier deal, then you can choose from their own finance options. If you chose "Only from apple" then you can pick between monthly payments or AppleCard. These are both offered from the same bank so you're financing from apple. And then you STILL have to pick a carrier, even though the phone is unlocked (Unless you pick ATT or Boost)

From what I've heard, the process is the same from previous years, except now Apple REQUIRES you to have a post paid account (Prepay doesn't work) to buy an UNLOCKED phone.

And yes, I could finance from cricket using a third party method. But they don't have a trade in program.

It is not. Those talk about finance options, but no matter what, you have to have an account with one of the carriers to proceed. The only exception is boost, but that locks you to them for 2 months. I have Cricket.

So as it stands, if you don't have any of the major carriers, you can't buy an unlocked phone from apple.

That.....really makes no sense.