Now, shoppers who finance through T-Mobile or Verizon at Apple will get a phone locked to that carrier. Even if a customer chose carrier financing through T-Mobile or Verizon, Apple would send out or hand over a SIM-free, unlocked iPhone. Here’s how to consider your choices moving forward:You want an unlocked iPhone on a payment plan: You’ll need to buy the SIM-free model outright or finance through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, which usually offers unlocked devices. You’ll need to buy the SIM-free model outright or finance through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, which usually offers unlocked devices. The AppleCare+ price increase is a smaller concern for most — just $6 more per year on a monthly Mac or iPad plan.