In this Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016, file photo, a Samsung Galaxy S7, left, and S7 Edge are displayed during the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2016 event on the eve of the Mobile World Congress wireless show, in Barcelona, Spain. Samsung announced Thursday, June 30, 2016, the company will sell unlocked versions of its flagship Galaxy S7 phones in the U.S. so consumers can switch carriers more easily. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File) Samsung will sell unlocked versions of its flagship Galaxy S7 phones in the U.S. so consumers can switch carriers more easily.
Although two-year service contracts are now rare, consumers are instead stuck with two-year installment plans and cannot take a phone to a rival until it's paid off.
Unlocked phones have no such restrictions. They are also free of carrier-specific apps for messaging, video and other tasks, though Samsung still adds several beyond the standard version of Android from Google.
Samsung's Galaxy S7 will sell for $670, and a model with a curved side screen called Edge will go for $770. The prices are cheaper than Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, though more expensive than Sprint. You pay the phone's full price rather than monthly installments.
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