[yetanotherasian]

Which carriers are these? I just went to the AT&T site, they wanted $30 a month for an iPhone + a separate $85 a month for cellular service. If instead I pick "wireless->bring your own" and go through the steps it was $75 a month so

A) Pay $75 a month for service B) Pay $115 a month for service and get a new phone

Their bottom offer was $5 a month for an iphone 12 (plus the $85 month for service)

Curious which carriers offer free iPhones where there's no difference in price.

T-Mobile has a deal if you trade in existing phone but the phone has to be high-end and recent otherwise they won't give you the trade in value needed to cover the new phone.

[smt88]

You get the free phone when you create a new line, so it's easy enough for parents to just choose an iPhone as their kid's first phone (which is what they all seem to be doing).