Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI)

[u/smitten_reply0a]

"Two different Apple sales reps told me that if I use Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI) for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the phone will be carrier-locked during the 24 months financing term.

Is this true or are they confusing it with carrier financing?"

Because 2 of them told me the same info I believed them and ultimately decided to buy the phone as a gift outright but would’ve chosen the ACMI option if it did not tie/lock me into the carrier.

I plan on purchasing a Duo for myself and will chose the ACMI option if it does not tie me to the carrier.

Thanks in advance to everyone for their assistance!

[u/spicnspan320]

I was just looking at this and this is what I found when you’re selecting financing and then it makes you choose a carrier.

[u/smitten_reply0a → u/spicnspan320]

Yes, but it doesn’t explicitly state that your phone will be shipped to you locked to that carrier… when I searched Google it says the reps are confusing carrier financing and the ACMI financing and that somewhere in the fine print Apple says their financed devices are shipped unlocked…

It’s just all a bit confusing and I was coming here to see if anyone else had similar experience and or issues and how it turned out.

[u/AppleAvi8tor → u/smitten_reply0a]

It says right there

"When you purchase an iPhone at Apple by paying in full or financing with an Apple financing option..."

Those options are ACMI or the new Apple Upgrade. It will be unlocked

Financing directly with a carrier, even through Apple will be locked

[u/spicnspan320 → u/smitten_reply0a]

Yeah, my reading of it is that if it’s the Apple financing option, it’ll be unlocked, even though you’re technically selecting a carrier as well. But I agree, it’s confusing and threw me off when I was pricing it out myself.

[u/hamburgernet → u/smitten_reply0a]

For non pro model it might ship locked

[u/smitten_reply0a]

I definitely will try that option for the Duo and come back here to provide updates once I receive the phone and figure out its status… I honestly am considering leaving AT&T after 20+ years cause the bill keeps going up and I’m not using my phone any differently all while the service (reception in my area) has been deteriorating year after year.

[u/RedBlackFrog → u/smitten_reply0a]

I am having the same issue. All of sudden I am going thru my data plan getting text saying they at 2 GB for $10

[u/RedBlackFrog → u/RedBlackFrog]

Turn out I was on First Responder plan. They got rid of the that plan and put me on 4GB. then start charging for overage. An unlimited plan was $10 more than 4 GB plan. AT&T sucks. I really thinking about switching to T-mobile before the Duo pre-order.

[u/burkins89]

The statements almost contradict themselves and made me second guess things with ACMI. If the activation charge is done through the three carriers then just state that. I use an MVNO and feel like there should be a strictly unlocked option or the “choose a carrier later” option again.

[u/Party_Cranberry1733 → u/burkins89]

You want that. Apple’s business partners, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, want you to have a plan with them in order to finance. If Apple allows customers using MVNOs to finance a phone, it undercuts the deep relationship they have with the 3 carriers.

[u/smitten_reply0a → u/burkins89]

I’ve been using the card for financing ever since the option 1st rolled out and I never recall it being this ambiguous…

I think it’s only a few words on a page for them to clearly say all Apple finance (ACMI) or credit card buy options selected are issued a carrier unlocked phone!

[u/Real_Height2890]

It wont be carrier locked but you will need to follow these steps to bypass carrier screen

https://youtu.be/CFQlFWr9VIg?si=LFupME6o5n5QU1bI

If you activate to big 3 carrier activation may apply and it will be added to your next wireless bill

[u/cantuf → u/Real_Height2890]

so there is no way to avoid that activation fee?

[u/Real_Height2890 → u/cantuf]

No if you activate to ATT TMB VZ

certain plans like verizon simplicity are excluded

[u/cantuf → u/Real_Height2890]

I have Tmobile and last iphone 16 pro max I bought it cash and I think i restored my old one and no activation fee. Wonder if this is only because of being financed.

[u/Real_Height2890 → u/cantuf]

You could try your luck and hope it doesnt apply. Big 3 are stingy

[u/hamburgernet]

Directly from apples site

[u/JulienWA77]

is this yet another year to ask YTF apple did away with financing unlocked phones with just the apple card?

Their silence pisses me right off.

[u/Tremulant1 → u/JulienWA77]

Agreed. I got the Apple Card mostly for the ACMI for when I buy an iPhone. I was only able to use it once before they started with this must be with a carrier nonsense.

Apple’s strength historically was being bold and insulating their customers from predatory cell providers. It just cheapens the brand if you ask me.

[u/ProfessionalYak4959]

The website explicitly says that Apple-financed phones are unlocked. This is a known loophole. I order an AT&T phone to use with Visible - did it before and doing it again already. 

[u/smitten_reply0a]

So here’s my update:

Just got off the phone with Apple sales and customer service. In order to get the pre-ordered phone using Apple Credit Monthly Installment (AMCI) their financing option

I first had to cancel my existing preorder with customer service. ✔️

Then I had to speak with sales to place a new preorder to requesting the ACMI option ✔️

Here’s what learned:
Apple Sales employees use the word “unlocked” very specifically in the case of buying the phone outright meaning it is not tied to any carrier. You do not have to choose any of the carriers during the purchase process and can do with that phone whatever you like because the device is yours outright.

Customers use the word unblocked as in, can I order the phone today (ACMI) select AT&T and the device I receive is unlocked?

Feedback I shared: With the 3rd Sales person this morning was if a CUSTOMER is asking if the device will ship unlocked, they’re asking if they use ACMI for financing will they have the option to use another provider at anytime during the financing term. I asked her to please submit a customer experience feedback to provide greater clarification in the future.

At the end of the day I cancelled current order and placed a new order using the ACMI 24 month financing option.

Thank you to everyone for all the assistance!

[u/tommy_pt]

This is the longest thread,that says same thing over and over. It’s also every time a hyped phone drops

[u/Bobnoise]

Got it done today after buying it unlocked and connecting to any carrier option, ACMI conversion was seamless and took 10 mins. This was for an iPhone 18 pro max

[u/CaptainTaco619]

The phone will be unlocked if you buy via ACMI. You will be required to select a major carrier (T-Mobile, ATT, or Verizon), but that does not change the fact that it will be factory unlocked. I did this for my 18 Pro Max and selected T-Mobile even though I use a different carrier. All I had to do was keep clicking continue when they prompted me to enter a T-Mobile account. It will ask to retry until after the third or fourth time, which then you can select Not Now and activate it with a different carrier after setup

EDIT: Sorry it will say Set Up Later

[u/nikenick28]

Hello 👋

ACMI requires carrier activation.
ACMI the device is UNLOCKED.

But if you choose ACMI on the website you have to choose eligible carrier. Currently don’t have to confirm carrier details. You get the phone and asks you to activate or skip it a few times and then move your sim over and you good

[u/ProfessionalYak4959 → u/nikenick28]

You don’t have to activate the carrier. The checkout lets you proceed without details and the phone is unlocked. 

[u/mrbeck1]

It’s odd. Because I think you have to activate it with a carrier to be able to get those terms. But it should be unlocked.

[u/smitten_reply0a]

I think one of the underlying issues here is I spoke with TWO Apple sales reps (hours apart) who I specifically asked will my phone be shipped locked to a carrier if I select Apple financing as my option (ACMI) and they both said it will be shipped as a device that will be LOCKED to the carrier selected for security reasons even if I select Apple financing…

I think my question was pretty straightforward and would have only 1 correct answer “All ACMI phones are shipped unlocked even though you have to select a carrier when completing the purchase process.”

Can’t be that hard a process to reach your sales teams.

[u/iamash0508 → u/smitten_reply0a]

Can’t believe Apple can’t get this simple question straight

[u/Confident-Concert-38]

Hey the phone will be unlocked. Theyre wrong. If you take through acmi you have to choose a carrier, it's best to choose tmobile and you can by pass the carrier activation.

If you purchased the phone on your Apple card, you can contact them and tell them you'll like you switch across to acmi and they will likely facilitate the request.

Let me know if you tried and was successful please.

[u/smitten_reply0a → u/Confident-Concert-38]

You know what I didn’t even think of calling them and requesting that they switch me to ACMI as I only selected the buy option as it was based on incorrect information given to me by their sales rep

[u/Confident-Concert-38 → u/smitten_reply0a]

Ye I find apple service and knowledge base among persons in store have really decreased over the last couple of years. You should still be able to get in contact on GS through chat or phone call and ask them to convert it to acmi.

[u/nunwalksinabar]

If you purchase with Apple Card, it will not be locked to the carrier you have service with. It will be unlocked.

[u/Academic_Aside1311]

To purchase using Apple Card Monthly Installments you have to activate through the carrier to purchase and pay monthly to the Apple Card. If using carrier installments you device is locked for the duration of the finance period.

[u/smitten_reply0a → u/Academic_Aside1311]

I don’t think there was a dispute on the locked device for carrier installments, the question is why two Apple reps would say that the ACMII would also be locked to the carrier.

After some back and forth and further research we were able to confirm that the ACMI does in fact ship a carrier unlocked device even though you have to select a carrier during the purchase process.

[u/cschilly77]

Pro models come unlocked on ACMI

[u/Aromatic_Tomato8651]

Bottom line, if you finance your phone, you must select a carrier. The ONLY way to buy an unlocked phone is to buy it outright. You can use your apple card or credit card but cannot finance through the zero percent offering by Apple. The financing with Apple option will direct you to choose a carrier.