Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I went back to the Apple store and read the single Asterisked * conditions at the bottom of the iPhone 11 purchasing page, for additional consideration:

"...Monthly pricing: Available to qualified customers and requires 0% APR, 24-month installment loan with Citizens One or Apple Card Monthly Installments and iPhone activation with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon. Taxes and shipping not included. Additional Apple Card Monthly Installments terms are in the Customer Agreement. Additional iPhone Payments terms are here. "

/shrug
An unlocked and SIM-free iPhone can be activated with those carriers. I activated mine in seconds.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cyberddot
I talked with apple again today about this as I use cricket to save a few bucks a month, and when I do upgrade I just buy a sim free full price. I thought since I had an Apple Card and it being Christmas eh why not just get a few months of free financing before paying it off in full. Well I chatted and called both Goldman Sachs and Apple, and both have explained that "currently" the promo for 24 months interest free is strictly for post paid customers with an account for the 4 major carriers.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.