Most people buy their phones directly from their carrier, but if you’re reading this guide, we recommend buying an unlocked smartphone. When you purchase a carrier phone, you are “locked” to that network. That means if you change carriers, like moving from Verizon to T-Mobile, you’ll have to ask your carrier to unlock your device, which can be a big headache. . (Especially if you’re traveling and want to use an international SIM card.) Asking your carrier to unlock your phone usually involves making sure the device is paid for or waiting a certain period of time. There are some requirements. On the other hand, unlocked phones do not have this problem. You are free to use the carrier of your choice at any time.
Carriers also hide the real cost of smartphones. AT&T may be tempted to buy Samsung’s shiny new flagship for $36 a month, but in reality, you’ll end up paying $1,300 for the smartphone over 36 months. Did you really want to spend That much?Or is a cheap cell phone sufficient? And since software updates come directly from Samsung, you’re more likely to get them sooner, and there’s often far less pre-installed bloatware to deal with.
In other words, buy it unlocked. Unlocked Galaxy smartphones can be purchased directly from Samsung and most third-party retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
