[gricardo99]

That’s what I thought and did this for years. However, the major carriers do offer promotions and incentives that make the phones cheaper, sometimes significantly. e.g. of recent deal from major US carriers: iPhone 16 deal for $16/month for 36 months ($576 total) versus Apple store $699.

[MobiusHorizons]

Right, but what does the plan cost? If it’s more expensive than other providers and you are locked in for 36 months, that’s where they make their money.

[bandrami]

Right but they're locking you into a contract plan that's much more expensive than you would get with BYOD. They still get the money.