re: AT&T will cut its Next payment plans from 4 to 2 starting on June 9

Given the emphasis on the own and the $200 upgrade, it's worth mentioning that you did in fact own the phone when you purchased it this way. It was simply locked to AT&T until your contract expired. You were still free to sell it the day you got the phone in your hands, or wait until your contract was up and sell it to anyone unlocked. The upgrade cycles did not require a trade-in, despite the nomenclature.