Apple will reportedly launch a hardware subscription service program for the iPhone and iPad. Through this program, consumers can get their dream iPhone by paying a monthly subscription fee, similar to how to subscribe to Netflix or Spotify.
Based on a report by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, this program will reportedly be launched in late 2022 or early 2023. However, at this time detailed information about the program is still not available.
Apple actually already has a similar program to sell iPhones, namely the iPhone Upgrade Program. The program allows users to pay USD 35 per month to get the latest iPhone and Apple Care+ protection every year.
This new program has not been officially announced and is reportedly still in the development stage. But the way it works is called leasing or renting a vehicle.
According to a Bloomberg report, the price of a monthly subscription is not just the price of an iPhone divided by 12 or 24 months. The cost of the subscription is still unknown, but there will be an option to upgrade to the latest iPhone after its release, as quoted from The Verge, Friday (25/3/2022).
Just like other Apple subscription services, the new program will be linked to the user's Apple ID account, and may be bundled with AppleCare or Apple One services.
It's quite interesting to imagine Apple leasing iPhones to customers for a period of time. Is it possible for users to only pay a one-month subscription fee to sample the iPhone, the same as an Apple TV Plus subscription?
Apple itself has recently prioritized subscription services to expand its business. The company created by Steve Jobs has spawned several subscription services such as Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple News Plus, Apple Fitness Plus, and others.
Many of these services have also been bundled into a bundle called Apple One. Subscription services have also become a key source of revenue for Apple.