[kshacker]

Well they are changing the perspective. The phone is theirs until the payment is complete.

Very likely that's how they write the contract too. They may still sell it like "auto pilot" but the paperwork defines the actual contract.

[p49k]

They are "changing the perspective" to a behavior which is predatory and stacked against one party. A company cannot just write anything they want into a contract and expect it to be enforceable; there are rules surrounding what is and isn't acceptable in contracts.

[Aeronwen]

Rent-to-own has been a thing for ages.

While predatory, it's apparently acceptable in contracts.

[gostsamo]

Everything is legal in a sufficiently corrupt system. It doesn't make it moral.