Why is an unlocked phone

It still keeps up with all the latest apps and, thanks to market forces in the world of Android phones, I was able to grab it for hundreds of dollars less than list price. While any given phone has the same list price at a carrier as it would on Amazon, most carriers offer financing plans that let you pay off that phone over the course of two years. It has the same processor as the iPhone 11 albeit clocked to slightly slower speeds , eschewing the edge-to-edge screen and multi-camera setup to pass on significant savings.

That said, financing plans are fine if you feel the need to use one. Some carriers also offer tempting promotions like buy-one-get-one-free deals on certain phones. Sometimes these can be worthwhile — just be sure to read the fine print and do the math yourself, making sure it works out in your favor long-term before you buy. Finally, some carriers may only offer certain features on phones they sell — Cricket Wireless , my current carrier of choice, offers Wi-Fi calling on any iPhone , but Android users are stuck with the phones they sell in-store.

Carriers may offer better tech support than a manufacturer would, too. In the end, choice is a good thing. Check that model has a good warranty international phones may not have a valid warranty in the U. Cricket adds 5G to all plans, drops speed caps on data. Android 12 gets an update for large screens and foldables. Add a secondary screen to your laptop with the Mobile Pixels…. The all-time classic Tetris is reimagined for , a review. Does Pokemon Go hold up in ?

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People who want to pay off a phone in installments. If you're looking for a deal on a brand-new flagship phone from Apple, Samsung, Google or any of the other major hardware manufacturers, your best bet is to go through a carrier.

And if you decide you need your device unlocked later on, that's always your prerogative, so long as you meet the carrier's terms and conditions. People who want to keep it simple. If you don't want the hassle of figuring out how to get your new phone up and running, going through a carrier is the wiser choice.

You can get assistance with moving your SIM card over from your carrier unless you purchase your new phone online , and many carriers will help you transfer your old phone's data over to your new phone. These phones are still carrier-specific and likely will be for a while. So if you want superfast data speeds, you'll have to continue buying your device through a carrier for the foreseeable future. Transfer your data. Most phones make it easy to transfer your old data, so you don't really need any extra help.

For iPhones, all you need to do is sign in with your Apple ID to port over most of your contacts, apps and saved pictures. And for Android devices, you just log in to your Google account. You likely won't find it much of a hassle to switch data from your old handset if you go the unlocked route. Delete some apps. You'll spend less time deleting unwanted apps and skins off an unlocked phone. Good news if you prefer iPhones: Apple doesn't allow outside apps to come preinstalled on its phones.

Still, even unlocked phones may feature some bloatware. An unlocked Galaxy Note 10 from Samsung comes with stuff you might not want, like the Samsung Gallery photo app and Samsung's Smart Home management app. Buy insurance. You don't need to insure your smartphone, but if you've been known to shatter a screen or two, getting insurance is probably a good idea. When buying a phone through your carrier, you'll often get the option to add device insurance for a small monthly fee.