Say Goodbye to iPhone Upgrades: Hardware Subscription is coming!
Apple is actively working towards launching its much-anticipated hardware subscription program, which could become available to consumers as early as March or April. Despite facing engineering challenges, the company remains dedicated to bringing its services model to the hardware business by providing iPhones and other devices through a convenient monthly fee. The reports of Apple's efforts in early 2022 have generated a lot of excitement, and it seems that the wait may soon be over.
According to Mark Gurman's recent 'Power On' newsletter for Bloomberg, Apple is at the forefront of fintech innovation, with four projects currently underway. While two of these projects, Apple Pay Later and the Apple Card Savings Account, have already been publicly announced, the tech giant is also actively developing two additional exciting offerings: 'Apple Pay Monthly Installments' and the highly-anticipated iPhone subscription program. These developments highlight Apple's commitment to providing innovative financial solutions for its customers.
Apple's innovative hardware subscription program, originally intended to be launched in 2021 with the release of the iPhone 13, has faced some challenges in terms of engineering and technical issues. Despite these setbacks, the company remains committed to bringing this exciting offering to its customers, with plans to potentially launch it in 2022 with the release of the iPhone 14. Despite missed deadlines, Apple continues to work towards overcoming these challenges and delivering on its promise of convenient and accessible hardware solutions for its customers.
According to Gurman, both the iPhone subscription program and the 'Apple Pay Monthly Installments' project are ongoing initiatives at Apple. However, the company's push into the financial sector has proven to be more challenging than originally anticipated. This is due, in part, to the development of a comprehensive platform for its financial services known as 'Project Breakout.' This platform will handle key components of financial services, including checks, approvals, and transaction histories, which are typically handled by external partners. Despite the difficulties, Apple remains steadfast in its commitment to revolutionizing the financial industry and providing its customers with cutting-edge solutions.
Gurman also says that the 'Apple Pay Monthly Installments' and the iPhone hardware subscription program are distinct offerings, despite their similar concepts. It is important to note that the monthly charge for the iPhone hardware subscription program will not simply be the price of the device divided into 12 or 24 payments.
Instead, it will be a monthly fee that is yet to be determined, and will depend on the device chosen by the user. This fee will not necessarily result in the user eventually owning the device. If the program is still in development, as Gurman suggests, it could potentially be launched in March or April. This exciting offering provides a new and flexible way for consumers to access the latest in Apple technology.
Phone Repo’s will soon become a thing
@Shiro
Short and to the point, I fully agree with your statement. Old gHacks is dead, the new one is an abomination, a cheap advertiser for the big corporate players. This site has turned into a advertisement junkyard and there is no turning back, I expected this to happen after it was sold.
Just like Netflix this is a sign of a desperate company attempting to claw back revenue nothing more nothing less. This will not add any value to the consumer at all.
Many of these companies are not poor or struggling but they just get greedy and want more and more.
@Shiro
The fact that people are considering to leave the site sucks. I don’t know of any other place similar to this that allows the general public to comment let alone some of the best articles.
I have noticed a change a few months ago but did not want to begrudge anyone a chance at growing their ability to connect with the audience and become a better writer. Too much, too soon perhaps.
Losing viewership is not going to help. Whether I agree with all the comments or not they are still of value on often add longevity and value to an article so we can’t afford to lose viewers.
For many years I’ve referred to Apple’s sales model as the “Own-To-Rent” model because you own the device but, because of Apples absolute, locked down hardware, and only available app store, you only ever get renter’s non-ownership rights, because you never are able to do as you will with your owned property.
This new explicit hardware rental model will be Apple’s end-run around the EU’s attempts to open up Apple device owner’s rights to seek other, non Apple controlled, apps and software. The rental model forces that issue.
As others here have said “You will own nothing and be happy” referencing the WEF’s (World Economic Forum) front page tag-line. Apple users have cheerfully, effectively acquiesced to that exact (non) ownership model where their iGulag devices.
Undoubtedly too, Apple’s Financial services offerings will evolve, through partnership with global government, into an Apple based “Social Credit System”.
For many years I’ve referred to Apple’s sales model as the “Own-To-Rent” model because you own the device but, because of Apples absolute, locked down hardware, and only available app store, you only ever get renter’s non-ownership rights, because you never are able to do as you will with your owned property.
This new explicit hardware rental model will be Apple’s end-run around the EU’s attempts to open up Apple device owner’s rights to seek other, non Apple controlled, apps and software. The rental model forces that issue.
As others here have said “You will own nothing and be happy” referencing the WEF’s (World Economic Forum) front page tag-line. Apple users have cheerfully, effectively acquiesced to that exact (non) ownership model where their iGulag devices.
Undoubtedly too, Apple’s Financial services offerings will evolve, through partnership with big/global government, into an Apple based “Social Credit System”.
>This fee will not necessarily result in the user eventually owning the device.
AND YOU VILL BE HAPPY
For many years I’ve referred to Apple’s sales model as the “Own-To-Rent” model because you own the device but, because of Apples absolute, locked down hardware, and only available app store, you only ever get renter’s non-ownership rights, because you never are able to do as you will with your owned property.
This new explicit hardware rental model will be Apple’s end-run around the EU’s attempts to open up Apple device owner’s rights to seek other, non Apple controlled, apps and software. The rental model forces that issue.
As others here have said “You will own nothing and be happy” referencing the WEF’s (World Economic Forum) front page tag-line. Apple users have cheerfully, effectively acquiesced to that exact (non) ownership model where their iGulag devices.
Undoubtedly too, Apple’s Financial services offerings will evolve, through partnership with global government, into an Apple based “Social Credit System”.
The question is how long will it take for all the other idiots to follow in Apple’s footsteps. I imagine this will be like everything else. Brands like Samsung will take their time and see how well it works out for Apple and eventually they will rub their grubby hands together and do the same as it will just be another source of revenue. Oh they will all put some sort of spin on it of course, this is for the children, this is for the environment, this is for future generations. It is always something to tug at your heartstrings and if you disagree they aim to put you on the opposite side of the “moral” argument.
This is simply a decision based on the result of a few things but in the name of lost revenue.
– Apple loses right to charge ridiculous amounts of money to repair products due to people now having the right to repair in many countries.
– The loss of another revenue stream by forcing Apple to adopt a standard USB-C type cable and not their own overpriced cable that was designed to fail thus losing another revenue stream.
– The decline in sales for Apple phones as well as phones in general.
– Services like Spotify which has eaten a substantial chunk of the market from apple’s own services.
– Fewer people depending on iCloud and various other subscriptions. Yes, the incident which happen to many people including celebrities opened up their eyes to the inherit problems with such services. Granted it was many years ago but still relevant today.
– The general understanding that Apple is not the be all, end all of phones.
Overall figures show that phone sales are down and rightfully so. There has not been much push or innovation really and none of which are reaching the general public. Manufacturing in China has become an issue for a variety if reasons and so has costs.
People are fed up of paying more and receiving less. You can’t cut away features and things such as cables, charging bricks and external memory and charge more. Camera’s are not getting much better either.
This is a desperate attempt to claw back some money and lock you in as a cash cow that keeps on giving. Consumers should immediately respond to this with boycotts and campaign for this to stop.
“This exciting offering” – rotfl.
Highly anticipated? Excitement?
Seriously? What’s wrong with people?
Additcted to paying more for an already overpriced piece of rubbish.
I’m glad I detroyed my cell phone years ago.
Hopefully they are fined by EU for this crap.
“Apple is actively working towards launching its much-anticipated hardware subscription program, which could become available to consumers as early as March or April. Despite facing engineering challenges,”
First of all hardware subscription program is a rumor !
Second, what ‘engineering challenges’ ? Problems with CPU, GPU, display..?
Payment systems are a dozen for a $1 so accept getting a clean bill from banks, credit cards companies.. there shouldn’t be any ‘engineering challenges’.
Well, this benefits Apple as a means to keep up iPhone sales. I don’t know how great it is for e waste or users who end up never owning the iPhone. The big question, is how much will Apple charge for this service?
A lot of “marketing” is to obscure the “TCO” (Total cost of ownership).
This is just a another gimmick to obscure the real price. There is nothing wrong with a subscription model, as long as consumer advocates never stop talking about TCO.
There are 3 basic models here:
1) Buy outright, unsubsidized, unlocked.
2) Subsidized by “contract carrier” for a period of 1-2 years.
3) Total subscription, like in this newest case.
“Sorry God, I sinned. I bought Apple” XD
…you will own nothing and be happy… at the end of the day it is all a financial view of mankind… (humanity?)
This is about eliminating device ownership. If the device remains the property of the company, they will be justified preventing e.g. the installation of Custom ROMs. If you can’t modify the OS, you don’t really own the device. Of course iPhones don’t support anything but iOS anyway, it is kinda accepted there, but if this model is adopted for Android phones as well then RIP custom ROMs, and therefore RIP eliminating the spying of Google.
Dumb sheep will accept this of course since no one cares about ownership or privacy, and because they need their new shiny every year.
> This exciting offering provides a new and flexible way for consumers to access the latest in Apple technology.
Trash article is uncritical of it and that’s a major reason why this blog has gone to hell. Readers here typically have a brain, we don’t need this type of BS.
Actually I see this business model being more applicable to Androids. Iphones get security updates for many years. That means they’re safe to use online. Android phones are abandoned ten minutes after we buy them, so I can actually see a program where they send me a new one as part of a subscription every six months being advantageous.
This is the first time I agree with you, no Brave shilling this time, amazing.
@smaragdus
I don’t even know who you are. But what I do know, is that I am living in your head rent free and so does Brave.
Sounds like a wonderful way to create e-waste.