$150 Member Benefit Costco Digital Shop Card: In participating Warehouse locations or Costco.com. Device purchase with finance agreement required. Subject to change. Tax on pre-credit price due at sale. Qualifying credit and plan and qualifying line ($85+/mo. plan w/AutoPay) required. If you have canceled lines in the past 90 days, reactivate them first. All lines must be active and in good standing when Costco Digital Shop Card is processed. Max 12/account. May not be combined with some promotions or discounts.
$250 Prepaid Visa Card: In participating Warehouse locations or Costco.com. Limited-time; subject to change. Qualifying credit, activate a new line ($100+/mo. plan w/AutoPay; plus taxes & fees), port-in from AT&T, Verizon, Claro, UScellular, Xfinity, Spectrum and Liberty Puerto Rico required. Complete port-in within 30 days of activation. If you have cancelled lines in past 90 days, you may need to reactivate them first. Get $250 rebate per line via virtual prepaid Visa, which you can use online or in-store at T-Mobile or Costco only; no cash access & expires in 6 months. The Virtual Prepaid Visa card is issued by Sunrise Banks N.A., St. Paul, MN 55103, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Incorporated. Visa is a registered trademark owned by Visa International Service Association. Registration, activation, acceptance, or use of this card constitutes acceptance of the terms and conditions stated in the Prepaid Card Agreement. This promotion is not associated, sponsored, or endorsed by Visa or Sunrise Banks N.A. Lines must be active and in good standing when card is issued. Max 4/account. May not be combinable with some promotions or discounts.
$50 Costco Digital Shop Card: In participating Warehouse locations or Costco.com. Device purchase with finance agreement required. Subject to change. Tax on pre-credit price due at sale. Qualifying credit and service ($85+/mo. plan w/AutoPay; plus taxes & fees) required. If you have canceled lines in the past 90 days, reactivate them first. All lines must be active and in good standing when Costco Digital Shop Card is processed. Max 12/account. May not be combined with some offers, discounts, or promotions.
https://www.costco.com/cell-phones.html
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Good luck!
Jon
You're better off buying the phone out of pocket.
Not worth paying $40-50 extra per month in perpetuity for one time $400 ish discount.
for us that switch accounts often its useless iphone 13 was the last PSIM pixel 9 was the last pixel with PSIM in their lines. all this is to restrict our freedoms and make it worthless for users that switch carriers a lot for promos. if you do any esim only phone promo expect to stay with them for 1+ yr else isn't worth lit.
Here is a hard-hitting summary for a social forum, covering both Apple and Google's shift to eSIM-only and why it's a double-sided disaster for users.
The "SIM War" of 2025: Why iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 are Global Traps
Apple and Google have officially synchronized their "f***ed up" move: The physical SIM tray is dead in the USA. If you buy a US-model iPhone 17 or Pixel 10, you are buying a digital-only device that trades user freedom for manufacturer control.
1. The "Bribe": Extra Battery for Your Freedom
Both brands are using the extra internal space from the removed SIM tray to "bribe" US users with better battery stats.
The Trap: In the US, the iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 models have slightly larger batteries than the International versions that kept the SIM slot.
The Reality: Apple and Google are betting you'll care more about 60–90 extra minutes of screen time than the ability to actually own your cellular connection.
2. The "Switcher" Nightmare
If you switch carriers often, you're about to enter a loop of customer service hell:
Permission-Based Tech: You can't just "swap" anymore. You have to use glitchy carrier apps or wait for QR codes. If you don't have Wi-Fi or your carrier's server is down during the port, you have no phone.
The "Dead Phone" Disaster: If you break your screen or the phone won't turn on, your number is locked inside a dead piece of glass. With a physical SIM, you'd be back in business in 30 seconds by popping the card into a backup phone. With eSIM-only, you're stuck until you can find another device to "re-provision" your line.
3. Global Resale Value is Tanked
A phone with a physical SIM slot is Global Liquidity—you can sell it to anyone on Earth.
Universal vs. Restricted: An International iPhone or Pixel (with a tray) works for everyone from a farmer in Vietnam to a student in Brazil.
The "US Penalty": US-model eSIM-only phones are hard to sell in the 60%+ of the world where physical cards still rule. By buying these, you are shrinking your future buyer pool and killing your resale value.
4. Who to Avoid & Who to Buy
The Copycats (AVOID): iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 (US Models). Both went eSIM-only.
The Last Stand: Samsung Galaxy S25. It is the last major flagship in the US that still has a physical SIM tray.
The "Unicorn": Pixel 9. It's the last "modern" Google phone with a tray and a USB-C port. Hold onto it like gold—its resale value will skyrocket as people realize the Pixel 10 is a locked-down mess.
The Verdict: We are being forced into a world where carriers have 100% control over our devices. Don't let the "extra hour of battery" fool you into giving up your hardware freedom.
punish google dont buy pixel 10 unless its free. apple users are a lost cause. its a trap. its always a trap.
currently using pixel 9.
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