Verizon Drops Zero-Trade-In Promotion as Samsung and Mistral AI Form Hardware-AI Alliance Ahead of iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders
On September 11, 2026, minutes ahead of Apple opening iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders, Verizon announced a free iPhone 18 Pro deal requiring no device trade-in on Unlimited Ultimate plans. Simultaneously, Samsung and Mistral AI announced a strategic alliance to optimize open-weight models for Samsung HBM4 and mobile NPU silicon, while Verizon filed with the FCC to retire legacy copper lines in nine states and D.C.
Key points
- Verizon launched a 'no trade-in needed' promotion offering a free iPhone 18 Pro on Unlimited Ultimate plans.
- Samsung and Mistral AI partnered to optimize open-weight model architectures for HBM4 memory and mobile NPUs.
- Apple Store app entered final maintenance ahead of 5:00 AM PDT / 7:00 AM CDT pre-order opening for the September 18 launch.
- Verizon filed with the FCC to shut down legacy copper phone lines for 750,000 users across 9 states and D.C.
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