Apple reportedly working on iPhone hardware subscription

Shawn Knight

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What just happened? Apple is said to be developing a hardware subscription service that would grant customers access to devices like the iPhone and other gadgets in exchange for a monthly fee. The tech giant already operates the iPhone Upgrade Program, a similar service in which customers can upgrade to a new iPhone after making 12 monthly payments. Presumably, the new offering could include other hardware like earbuds, the Apple Watch or the iPad, or bundle services like AppleCare and Apple One.

Bloomberg described the subscription service as Apple's biggest push to date into automatically recurring sales. The program is being actively developed though no other specifics were mentioned.

The service could make Apple products accessible to more buyers, especially those with lower incomes that can't afford to buy Apple devices outright or those who don't have good enough credit to qualify for financing or the Apple Card.

We also don't know how the service would impact the dynamic between Apple and wireless carriers. Could carriers stand to lose money by being taken out of the buying loop?

Other variables that could make the service interesting include AppleCare and Apple One. Bundling both with the hardware subscription service at a discount could make each individual product more attractive.

Would you have any interest in such a subscription service, or are you content with currently available buying options? The new hardware subscription service could launch by the end of this year, or sometime in 2023.

Image credit Drew Coffman, David Svihovec

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LOL, and those that can't afford to pay for these things, will GLADLY sign up to have more of their money taken from them, month after month...just so they can say I have an iPhone.
Fool, meet money, soon to be parted.
 
How is this different from buying a new one every year as the new model comes out? Isn't that what everyone does already as a matter of course?
 
Queue the Apple haters with their standard comments. Next minute Samsung and the others follow suit and watch how quickly those haters forget what they said.

I dont weigh into the Apple vs others debate. Most Apple people don't, The only ones you hear from are the haters. It's kinda sad and pathetic really
 
Wasn't this what carriers in the USA were doing for a long time - guaranteeing folks who get a free upgrade every 2 years if they were contract happy ?
Not a bad decision for Apple - as how to sell a commodity and get people to rationalise a large monthly payment . They know more and more people will say - a phone is a phone is a phone
or my IP12 is good enough for 8 years ( nah those buyers won't - but at least 4 years )

Me I just keep buying a $300 90% flagship phone - that lasts me 4 or 5 years easily.
Mercedes etc do this with car leases etc
 
This is sort of like the many, many, many subscription services MicroSludge has tried over the years ... they would last about 3 months then suddenly disappear due to end user discontent. I won't be surprised to see the same thing happen to Apple ..... and it will serve them right!
 
A lot of companies already do that with Apple and other hardware.
Another option, for those who crave it, would be nice and might even bring a price a bit down.
 
Queue the Apple haters with their standard comments. Next minute Samsung and the others follow suit and watch how quickly those haters forget what they said.

I dont weigh into the Apple vs others debate. Most Apple people don't, The only ones you hear from are the haters. It's kinda sad and pathetic really
found the iPhone user
 
Perhaps, but you don't own your device.
If you do upgrade every year, or you realize you don't really own an Apple device since you can't service like nothing on it ...
I would personally not do it, but I can see it making a sense for some users.
Another question is ... does it really matter all that much for Apple devices like iPhones - they do not really evolve hardware or software wise.
 
If you do upgrade every year, or you realize you don't really own an Apple device since you can't service like nothing on it ...
I would personally not do it, but I can see it making a sense for some users.
Another question is ... does it really matter all that much for Apple devices like iPhones - they do not really evolve hardware or software wise.
That's one perspective and some people are ok with it. Some people think it's foolishness.
 
How is this different from buying a new one every year as the new model comes out? Isn't that what everyone does already as a matter of course?
A good calculator and a comparison between most lease contracts and outright purchase will show serial leasing is almost always more expensive in the long run.
 
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