Yesterday we learned that Verizon Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones were not being sold unlocked and would require activation on Verizon before they could be used on another carrier. Now Verizon has done a 180.

Verizon today confirmed that it has "temporarily removed" the lock on its Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones that required activation on Verizon before the phone would be unlocked. The big red carrier told Droid-Life that it's now assessing where this lock will be used in the future.

Here's Verizon's full statement on the matter:

"At launch, there was an update related to an automatic overnight unlock on Pixel 3s, which also showed up on phones sold in Best Buy stores. We have temporarily removed it from Pixel 3 and are assessing where it will be implemented in the future.

As you may recall, earlier this year we began locking phones until they were initially activated on the Verizon network to prevent theft and protect employees."

This change was surprising to some folks because while Verizon was also the exclusive carrier of the original Pixel and Pixel 2, those folks were sold unlocked and ready for use on another carrier. Customers interested in an unlocked Pixel 3 could buy from the Google Store, but it looks like they can now buy from Verizon or Best Buy, at least for now, which means they could get their phone faster since Verizon and Best Buy have lots of retail stores. Just be sure to stay tuned to see if or when Verizon's SIM lock policy is reinstated.