if you’re referring to the T-Mobile auto pay changes, you can still get 3% on your monthly bill. You just set a debit card as the autopay and then pay it with the Apple care a few days ahead of time.
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Apple Card Monthly Financing No Longer Available for SIM-Free iPhones
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It's hard to know for sure, but I imagine that this may have something to do with the overall profitability of Apple Card with Goldman Sachs. They are likely receiving a subsidy from the carriers with the 24-month financing and this is a way to force folks down that path.
It is possible for sure. But if you travel a lot you will run into many problems. Especially in developing countries. And even though the “apps” may work until the developing countries get on board and hand you a slip of paper with QR code and APN instructions, that included your data and method to make local calls possible, those without a SIM-card slot will always get the shaft.
It becomes a hassle. It used to be so easy. I have traveled to over 90 countries and never had a problem when I had a physical SIM. Should it be difficult, no. But it sure is when even bigger carriers have adopted it but it’s not available at the airport and have to go to an actual store and it creates hassle and costs more money than people who sell them for $10 with 39 days of unlimited data along with calls and texting. Frustrated US citizen, who lives overseas more often than in US and iPhone 14 PM user.
I have learned my lesson plenty of times in the last year. I will forgo launch-day iPhone if I am in the US, and get an iPhone oversees that has a SIM slot and isn’t carrier tarnished by Apple.
Ok explain what this means to me like I'm a dummy
I currently have iPhone X and I use FirstNet. I was going to apply and get an Apple Card this week or next and take advantage of the 0% financing for the iPhone 15 Pro/Max. Had planned to pay half of it off right away and just milk the rest of the payments since there would be no interest.
Will I no longer be able to do that?
I currently have iPhone X and I use FirstNet. I was going to apply and get an Apple Card this week or next and take advantage of the 0% financing for the iPhone 15 Pro/Max. Had planned to pay half of it off right away and just milk the rest of the payments since there would be no interest.
Will I no longer be able to do that?
EXACTLY! Goldman has lost A TON of money since introducing the Apple credit card; so much so that Goldman is trying to off-load the Apple credit card to some other financial house! CapitalOne has been heavily discussed but they don’t really see an upside - at least until they have some post-30 day interest deal for people who maintain a balance.
This has been covered in many of the financial discussions.
Dumb. Why? If I wanna finance and be tied to a carrier anyway, why not finance thru the carrier in first place?
Just neeeeeeeed to squeeze another nickel out of people.
Just neeeeeeeed to squeeze another nickel out of people.
The first middle finger was Apple charging an extra $30 or so for an unlocked phone. This is the second middle finger.
Wait, what appendage are they readying next?
That option is gone for Syk.
I travel to the UK a lot (wife is from Birmingham). I have had an active SIM card with O2 for 18 years. I had to buy an iPhone 13 mini to have a SIM card slot iPhone as one cannot activate an eSim remotely with O2.
Several years back, we traveled through seven countries of Southern Africa. At no border crossings were there folks that had even heard of eSims let alone having the equipment to activate one. SIM cards were widely available.
I travel to the UK a lot (wife is from Birmingham). I have had an active SIM card with O2 for 18 years. I had to buy an iPhone 13 mini to have a SIM card slot iPhone as one cannot activate an eSim remotely with O2.
Several years back, we traveled through seven countries of Southern Africa. At no border crossings were there folks that had even heard of eSims let alone having the equipment to activate one. SIM cards were widely available.
This is just Apple bending over for the most powerful thing in the universe. Cash.
Apple makes good stuff. Probably the best tech stuff out there if not the absolute best, but there's no cache in the brand anymore. It's 1,000% corporate now.
Steve Jobs had a vison about the future of tech and all the thing it could do.
Tim Cook has a vision.
You wanna know what his vision is? Dollar signs — money!
Zefram Cookran....
Apple makes good stuff. Probably the best tech stuff out there if not the absolute best, but there's no cache in the brand anymore. It's 1,000% corporate now.
Steve Jobs had a vison about the future of tech and all the thing it could do.
Tim Cook has a vision.
You wanna know what his vision is? Dollar signs — money!
Zefram Cookran....
I have AT&T prepaid. Does this mean the option to finance with the Apple Card won't work for me? I'm guessing it means AT&T postpaid customers only. The low monthly payments made it too easy to upgrade to a new phone rather I needed to or not. This will definitely change how often I upgrade.
Yep. Same boat as you, and this moves me firmly over to what I imagine will be a more crowded Refurbished section of their online store.
And now we have the convenience of also paying the providers upgrade / activation charge. (Which Verizon didn’t charge when I bought sim free)
Not sure how the whole zero interest financing thing is structured with GS, but since they are losing their shirt on the Apple Card deal, I'd be surprised to learn they were not a part of this... but the carriers, as well. AT&T caved big time to Apple when the 0G iPhone launched, so I do think the carriers have a part in this... forcing us to choose a carrier will trigger the carrier upgrade fee, and at least psychologically lock people into said carrier... too many moving parts to not see the conspiracy.
That Apple is limiting the use of an Apple service to purchase Apple devices through one very specific Apple portal? AND, in a way that doesn’t affect how millions of other iPhones are purchased in the US and around the world?
Of course it does.
/s
Initially back in the day, everyone had to buy locked iPhones even if you bought it outright and had a post paid plan. Then the rules changed to if buying outright, it could be unlocked at time of purchase.
That is the way I operate. I carry no open credit card balances past the 30 days until payment is due and payoff the next day. I have no long term debt. I am considered a dead beat to the credit card industry as I pay the balance in full when the statement is rendered.
The Apple Card works for me along with my CostCo Citi card. And I get the Vetern's 10% discount on Apple products plus the 3% from the Apple card.
I buy the new iPhone and transfer the cell number from my existing iPhone. My now last year's iPhone gets my wife's iPhone number and so they trickle down through the family.
That is the way I operate. I carry no open credit card balances past the 30 days until payment is due and payoff the next day. I have no long term debt. I am considered a dead beat to the credit card industry as I pay the balance in full when the statement is rendered.
The Apple Card works for me along with my CostCo Citi card. And I get the Vetern's 10% discount on Apple products plus the 3% from the Apple card.
I buy the new iPhone and transfer the cell number from my existing iPhone. My now last year's iPhone gets my wife's iPhone number and so they trickle down through the family.
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My brain is in a fog today so please don’t yell at me.
But for those affected can you do the iPhone Upgrade Program and just keep the iPhone rather than getting a new one after a year?
You would have to get Apple Care but it’s not the worst thing.
I‘m really asking because I haven’t explored all the options.
But for those affected can you do the iPhone Upgrade Program and just keep the iPhone rather than getting a new one after a year?
You would have to get Apple Care but it’s not the worst thing.
I‘m really asking because I haven’t explored all the options.
I came to comments to type exactly this. This plus the (what I should have realized but haven’t opened a card since the early 2000s and didn’t) extremely high variable interest rate, I’ll be paying off the balance and putting this card in the vault.
Apparently they are also changing to American Express and if that limits the card to only the places that take Amex, with all this combined it seems to me they managed to screw up a good thing fast.
Frustrating. I have a prepaid carrier that I’m happy with, that’s not part of the big 3 carriers.
I’ve gone from “can’t wait to upgrade my iPhone 12 Pro next month. Wonder if I should get the pro or pro max?” to “ugh, I guess I’ll just get the battery replaced because I wasn’t planning and can’t just drop $1200 on a phone next month”. Lost sale and I’m bummed about it.
I’ve gone from “can’t wait to upgrade my iPhone 12 Pro next month. Wonder if I should get the pro or pro max?” to “ugh, I guess I’ll just get the battery replaced because I wasn’t planning and can’t just drop $1200 on a phone next month”. Lost sale and I’m bummed about it.
I would really like to know the true reasoning behind this. Seems quite strange to me but I'm not in the know.