Recent changes to Apple Card installments are unfriendly to the consumer, and drastically diminish the value of the card to me by fully eliminating my primary purpose.

You’re welcome. I’m sorry I couldn’t assist more.

Apple has changed policies and procedures before. A thoughtful, well worded statement to Apple can go a long way. GS can’t really change Apples sales policy, so go easy there. I wish you well.

It would be helpful getting the carrier's terms on their side of the transaction. PostPay only, early disconnect fee, etc. I'd sign up for a week and then port the number to my MVNO carrier if that would satisfy the terms of the transaction.

Not worried about that at all. I have plenty of other cards with long standing great credit. Only had apple for that very reason…the installment plan. Otherwise very rarely used, so it won’t have any adverse impact on my credit score.

Still current, I found out about this 2 days ago (yep, very late), when I wanted to get an unlocked iphone using my Apple Card with ACMI and I could no longer do it. Apple offers ACMI purchase for iPhone + carrier only. I dont need a new carrier.

Hey there Jeff

Sorry for necro-ing this thread. But I'd lost my job back in September and thankfully am starting a new one next week, but during the time of unemployment, (Nothing humbles you faster than losing your job, am I right?) I made several cost-cutting measures that I'd actually like to just keep. One of those was going BACK to prepaid after years of being on postpaid with a hefty discount that I had through my former company. I will have the same discount with my new job--but why bother? I'm on Visible and the price is amazing and my service is actually BETTER than it was with regular old postpaid. For whatever reason, I only just now realized that when I go to upgrade this fall, I'm going to run into this issue and frankly, it's just garbage. I'm even more frustrated that Apple (AS USUAL) never feels the need to say WHY they make changes like this--esp. when the decisions are incredibly consumer un-friendly. As far as I'm concerned, Apple should (once their deal with AT&T ended three thousand years ago) always be willing to sell unlocked iPhones on day 1 of launch in the US market. I'd go further and say they need to enforce "one-per-customer" rules to keep any scalping shenanigans from happening. But ending Apple Card financing when that is really the only actual perk of the otherwise lower-than-average credit card? This just seems completely stupid.

My backup plan right now is to just buy the phone outright going forward on the AppleCard, pocket the 3% cash back, then cash out some credit card points from one of my other card ecosystems to wipe the purchase. I am a consultant who travels a LOT for work; so I'm always flush with so many more points than I'd ever realistically use.

Did you read any of the comments that I post in the three pages of this thread? There are multiple ways to purchase an iPhone and do it with the installment plan. The iPhone will not be locked. Just read here, on Facebook or Reddit.

Yet this thread is specifically about ACMI. The requirement that the buyer provide account details with ATT, TMO or VZN is anti-consumer.

That part is a legitimate complaint.

Apple card holders want BOTH the benefits of the ACMI and the rebates associated with using their Apple Card AND the freedom to not be required to provide account details for one of the three major carriers.

Yes, there is a lot of FUD surrounding the phone being locked to a carrier. If one buys the phone through Apple, the phone isn't locked.

If you take an ATT, TMO or VZN deal, the phone will be locked.

As one who has an Apple Card, I would like to see the requirement for ATT, TMO or VZN to use the 24 month ACMI dropped.

I'm fortunate that I DO have an ATT account and that I can get ATT to waive the $35 "new device activation" when you move the eSIM to the device.

However, if someone has gone to the trouble to get an Apple Card and are buying directly from Apple, they probably don't want requirements related to a specific carrier. They want to buy a phone and not have the carrier as part of the transaction.

There are two easy methods to do exactly what you want. Both are easy to do. I have my 15 Pro Max on installments and it took all of about 3 minutes to accomplish. It took more time for you to write you post than it would have taken you to purchase an iPhone on installments.😀

I’ve explained them multiple times in multiple posts in the forums here and on Facebook. It’s been explained many more times on Reddit and probably X (formerly Twitter) multiple times.

Apple's new financing plan doesn't work for me. I got a raise recently and decided to upgrade from my iPhone 12 to the iPhone 15 Pro. I want to do some lidar, image stacking, and metadata embedding experiments. Plus, I want to switch all my cables to USB-C 3 for a single, versatile cable solution. But then I found out the deal: $1,400 upfront or $45 a month, locked into a carrier for two years. I can afford both, but paying $1,400 at once for a phone doesn't make sense when my current one works just fine.

So, I’m sticking with my iPhone 12 until it breaks. I buy my phones outright and go for a month-to-month unlimited data plan. I avoid contracts and 'phone upgrade' schemes because they're just ways for carriers to lock you in and squeeze out extra money. By staying flexible, I can leave any time they start pulling sleazy moves.

You obviously didn’t read the thread and the solutions offered to participate in Apple Card Monthly Installments. The solutions are also posted across social media including Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and X.

Please read the thread and if you have questions just ask.

Thanks for the added info.

Pay full price and it’s unlocked. This only applies to use of the Apple Card Monthly Installment plan available to Apple Card Mastercard holders.

Talk to the carrier. Look on the their websites, terms and conditions are disclosed by all 3 or the carrier, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.

There are plenty of 0% financing opportunities in the marketplace. These range from credit cards, loans and carriers. Explore the various products available to consumers.