Apple Upgrade Program Will Let You Lease an iPhone Without Sticker Shock

What happened

There’s now a new way to own an Apple product. Starting from today in the US, you’ll be able to lease an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch directly from the company via its new Apple Upgrad e program. This is still a developing thread, so the useful part is knowing which source signals are hardening and which ones still need caution. With devices, practical impact usually shows up in battery life, heat, stability, and long-term usability rather than in a few flashy headline numbers.

Practical impact for readers

Enabled by Klarna, prices for leasing Apple products will start at $18 a month for an iPhone and $12 a month for an Apple Watch , with 12- and 24-month leasing options. If you’re in the market for an iPad or Mac , you’re likely to keep that device for longer, and Apple is offering 24- or 36-month leasing options for these devices. With devices, practical impact usually shows up in battery life, heat, stability, and long-term usability rather than in a few flashy headline numbers. The readers who should care most are the ones planning to replace a device, buy an accessory, or upgrade a work setup in the next few months.

Details worth verifying

You can explore the different options either online or through the Apple Store, or you can go to a physical Apple Store in person. If you have an existing device to trade in, you can also lower your monthly leasing costs. The readers who should care most are the ones planning to replace a device, buy an accessory, or upgrade a work setup in the next few months. The next step is to see whether the current signals harden into a durable change or fade as a short-lived experiment.

Who should act or wait

The leasing program is likely to come as welcome news to anyone overwhelmed by the thought of buying an Apple device outright — especially right now. Just last month, Apple abruptly raised prices of all of its devices due to RAMageddon , the industry-wide memory shortage that’s pushing up prices not just of Apple products, but all consumer electronics. This came shortly after Apple CEO Tim Cook called price rises “unavoidable.

What is still unclear

The price rises are also expected to affect upcoming launches, including at Apple’s rumored September iPhone event. If Apple does unveil a new foldable iPhone, as expected, it’s likely to be more expensive than any existing models, just as Samsung’s foldables are more expensive than its other flagship phones. That is why the useful reading move is not to stop at the headline, but to compare the promise, the workflow change, and the likely cost before deciding anything.

Source notes

CNET News