752
Looking at you Verizon
(lemmy.world)
A friendly reminder that isps do NOT care about you or your digital rights. Always best to buy directly from the OEM rather than from the telecommunications (unless you can't afford it). Do proper research before buying a phone!
Easy if you have money. If a new phone is a financial stretch, then in the short term it can be cheaper to get a nice phone for "free" with carrier lock in (which of course means it wasn't free at all). It probably ends up being more expensive in the long term, but your paycheck can cover it.
You can actually get financing directly from Google who make the Pixel line of phones themselves, with bootloader unlocked as an option. So there is absolutely zero reason to buy from a carrier like Verizon unless they have a really fantastic promotion happening.
It is cheaper because you are the product. Maybe find something used.
brand new androids with the latest version go for about $150 ($90 with android 13 from last year); with them costing the same as 2 to 5 months of a carrier plan in the united states, it's hard to imagine them being a financial stretch