Also the providers aren't subsidizing the costs as much, probably after realizing that betting on people staying on their plan past the end of the contract led to people just chasing those incentives at other providers once their contract was up.
Not that they aren't subsidizing phones still, they just aren't throwing a hundred or two in gift cards or prepaid credit cards on top of the phone anymore.
Also the providers aren't subsidizing the costs as much, probably after realizing that betting on people staying on their plan past the end of the contract led to people just chasing those incentives at other providers once their contract was up.
Not that they aren't subsidizing phones still, they just aren't throwing a hundred or two in gift cards or prepaid credit cards on top of the phone anymore.