A New Phone Bill

Verizon, the biggest cell-phone carrier in the U.S., recently announced that it’s abandoning two-year contracts and the price-reduced phones that come with them. The change is a sign of where the industry is heading, and the move should mean more flexibility for customers. But it could also cause sticker shock as shoppers face the real cost of mobile phones for the first time. Here’s how much some popular devices cost with a two-year contract, compared with their full retail price:

IPHONE 6 PLUS

$299.99 With a two-year contract

$749 Retail price

Apple began offering the cheaper iPhone 5C in 2013

GOOGLE NEXUS 6

$199.99 With a two-year contract

$499 Retail price

Google’s flagship phones are likely to remain expensive

BLACKBERRY CLASSIC

$99.99 With a two-year contract

$379 Retail price

Diehard BlackBerry lovers can still get their devices relatively cheap