According to an anonymous source, Apple is currently working on a plan to sell iPhones as a subscription service. Such a hardware subscription could possibly also be possible for other Apple equipment.
According to Bloomberg, which released the news via an anonymous source, the device subscriptions may be introduced at the end of this year or early next year. A device subscription is slightly different than you are used to from providers. In addition, you buy a smartphone with your subscription, which you pay off with a monthly amount. With a subscription to an iPhone from Apple, you are in fact renting the smartphone. This means that the monthly costs remain and the smartphone remains the property of Apple. The subscription price depends on the device you rent.
Well-known formula
Such a subscription service is reminiscent of the device lease formula that Dutch providers offered years ago. A device lease ensured that you could still walk around with the latest smartphone for a reasonably accessible price, despite the (already) rising prices of devices.
The aircraft lease was not very popular. After provider Hi introduced it in 2012, some providers followed suit. In 2014, Telfort was the last provider to discontinue such a smartphone-as-a-service service.
The device lease never became very popular because you don’t own the phone. After the subscription period you had to exchange, return or buy it. Disadvantages were also not covered by appliance service. Damage, theft or loss were obligatory at your own expense.
iPhone-as-a-service
It is not yet known how Apple will shape such a smartphone subscription. For the company, it’s an attractive way to lure customers who would normally be scared of the relatively high prices Apple charges for its smartphones. Apple can also combine this well with Apple accounts and services such as iCloud and TV+.
â€