Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

yukari said:
That's what internet providers do with their modems.

I always buy my own modem, but I imagine majority of people simply go with the modem that is provided by their internet provider that charges monthly fees.
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Perhaps many are bad at math.

Leased modem at about $12-20 or more per month.

Buy same modem for about $100-$250.

Use either for upwards of many years. There’s a point where owning overtakes renting as better value. But oh so many are just locked into “if it fits into my monthly payments.”

Of course, there’s always the segment that has someone else footing the bill… such as an employer.
 
The carriers are basically already doing this so it makes no sense for Apple to jump into that. They probably wouldn't like Apple cutting them out by selling a direct to consumer iPhone subscription either.
 
ApplesAreSweet&Sour said:
Yeah.

Although not exactly identical, I don’t see how Apple’s concept is much different from what annual/bi-annual upgraders are already getting through carriers and whatnot.

I don’t think Apple would have succeeded with this when so many are accustomed to other solutions.

I’m also pretty sure that consumers on average are far less excited about buying new iPhones today than they were some 5-7+ years ago.
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The hardware lasts a long time and it’s an inconvenience to many to port data from old to new even with the present simplified process. Cost is a big factor too and most average users don’t spend enough time on new features released.
 
Likely the biggest reason they stopped this is because of users playing games with their credit, scamming the system, outright thievery, etc. Good old Lex Luthor (played by Gene Hackman) said “People are no damn good but they’ll always need land."
 
votdfak said:
We'll own nothing when we die.
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Then why do the super wealthy keep acquiring more of everything if their will own nothing when their die. Save me the inheritance bit as it always seems like the wealthy like to dictate rules for thee not for me.
 
bad news, was really hoping companies like apple would kick off a new way of subscribing or be the first that offered ”phone as a service”

Hope they find a way forward, this type of ownership opens up for devices that are supppeted for a longer time
 
Reverend Benny said:
bad news, was really hoping companies like apple would kick off a new way of subscribing or be the first that offered ”phone as a service”

Hope they find a way forward, this type of ownership opens up for devices that are supppeted for a longer time
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HaaS = Hardware as a Service
 
nikhsub1 said:
Subscription to hardware is odd.
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Renting hardware forever is what I understand about “hardware subscription”. Pay a monthly fee to use hardware but can no longer use it if payment stops.
cocky jeremy said:
Nobody ever said it would be required. It was going to be another option. An option you aren't forced to use. I don't see the issue.
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Nobody today may ever said “hardware subscription is required”, but things can change later. And if history is anything to go by, corporations will continue to test the lowest bar customer can tolerate, while at the same time condition the cohort into adopting their grand plan.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Perhaps many are bad at math.

Leased modem at about $12-20 or more per month.

Buy same modem for about $100-$250.

Use either for upwards of many years. There’s a point where owning overtakes renting as better value. But oh so many are just locked into “if it fits into my monthly payments.”

Of course, there’s always the segment that has someone else footing the bill… such as an employer.
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If you plan to own it for more than a year, it generally pays for itself. I had mine for 5 years. Time for an upgrade soon. But not having to fork out $10 (+ tax and other crap they tack on) each month for over four years ($600+) paid for my Netgear ($200) and then some.
 
I'm right with you on that. Own stuff like modems for years instead of paying for it 10-25 times over by renting it "forever." They are not very expensive- especially relative to what Apple charges for things. Take a fraction of iPhone money and own a modem.
 
Overall this is a better plan. I don’t want yearly upgrades to me it’s a waste of time. Why do I wanna worry about they have the latest phone paying a subscription fee regardless of who the manufacturer is. I know people do this with cars they traded cars yearly and get the latest one based on the subscription service. I have better things to do in my life. Don’t you worry about getting the latest in this case iPhone.
 
1) Create a rumour about an unverified Apple event. Proceed to write another article about it.

2) Write another article some time later about how said event has been cancelled.

You just conjured two articles out of thin air, to go towards meeting your monthly quota. Journalism sure is easy these days.
 
Gurman makes up a rumor, it ends up being plain hogwash, so he makes up a new rumor to explain away the failure of his 1st rumor.
 
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After two years of work on the project, Apple apparently ceased development in recent months due to regulatory concerns, software bugs, and other issues. The team that was developing the subscription service was disbanded and reassigned to other projects.
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Software bugs you say? Let me guess, the team is now working on iOS 18
 
Think that if it was ever going to be launched, it would have been a US exclusive only. Regulatory concerns should be the only reason for it shutting down. Anyway I prefer to buy my devices outright.
 
The Simpsons err NZXT did it!!!


But seriously, as already mentioned by at least a few other members, the iPhone Upgrade Program is essentially a subscription service — except, unlike NZXT’s (latest) blunder, there is a rent-to-own-type facet to it.
 
Every one is missing the real reason this is dropped: Apple would be competing with the carriers, who subsidize the purchase of the phones, and they don't want it. The end.
 
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