'Apple Upgrade' Program Reportedly Launching Next Week

[Nibo10]

Based on what Mark said, it stops new users from signing up. There is no indication of what happens to existing users.

Presumably, they continue paying until the cycle ends and the device becomes theirs, at least that is my assumption.

 

[gummybear2026]

Klarna is a money making operation, right?

I'm not sure why folks think they aren't making money off you somehow if you use their "services".

Definitely they are and interest may apply on installment payments.

A $1,000 purchase might cost $173.53 per month over 6 months at 13.99% APR. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) ranges from 0.00%-35.99% APR based on creditworthiness, term length, and subject to credit approval, resulting in, for example, 3 equal monthly payments of $333.33 at 0.00% APR to $353.52 at 35.99% APR per $1,000 borrowed. Minimum purchase amount and down payment may be required. Estimation of monthly payment excludes potential tax and shipping costs. Monthly financing through Klarna issued by WebBank.

 

[sahajesh]

A great way to get (or keep) people paying for things they can't afford and probably shouldn't be buying.


But hey ... “number must go up”, right?

That’s the important thing here.

And that’s a problem for you?

With the ever increasing cost of devices, if there is a genuine interest-free option, why would you not use it?

If it’s not interest-free, it may still be of some use to people.

It helps to increase sales which presumably would offset the cost of financing for Apple, if there’s no interest payable by the customer.

Get back on your high horse.

 

[turbineseaplane]

And that’s a problem for you?

With the ever increasing cost of devices, if there is a genuine interest-free option, why would you not use it?

It helps to increase sales which presumably would offset the cost of financing for Apple.

Get back on your high horse.

Read the rest of the thread, rather than just posting into the wind.

It's been addressed.

Also drop your insult at the end.
Don't be rude.

 

[triumvirate]

Whatever lens the bros try to shine this through, this is just gross.

 

[delsoul]

You know it’s too expensive if you have to finance a phone or computer

 

[sw1tcher]

Where does this say it's a zero percent interest loan? Klarna is in the business to profit off customers who sign up for this upgrade program.

I'm going off the current iPhone Upgrade Program

Program available for iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro. Upgrade subject to eligible models. Available to qualified customers with a credit check and eligible U.S. credit or debit card. Requires a 24-month installment loan with a 0% APR from Citizens Bank, N.A.

 

[jbachandouris]

I’m in iup right now. I wonder how my upgrade will work. As long as there’s an option for AppleCare + I’d be ok with it. Maybe.

0% financing a must. Not doing it otherwise. I can keep my 17PM until payoff if need be. Doesn’t look like 18 pm will be much of an upgrade.

 

[gummybear2026]

I'm going off the current iPhone Upgrade Program

Program available for iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro. Upgrade subject to eligible models. Available to qualified customers with a credit check and eligible U.S. credit or debit card. Requires a 24-month installment loan with a 0% APR from Citizens Bank, N.A.

The current upgrade program is going away in case you didn't notice.

 

[turbineseaplane]

My personal nightmare.

 

[capamac]

Car lot financing schemes, jamming ADs in more and more and more places, jacking prices "because they can", pruning included accessories down to "here's your thing in a white box"...

I'm a fan of pruning accessories (such as the power brick for iPhone) coz this reduces material waste that will wind up in landfills. Most folks already have a iPhone USB power brick ... not really any need for another one, and another one, and another one after that.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I'm a fan of pruning accessories (such as the power brick for iPhone) coz this reduces material waste that will wind up in landfills. Most folks already have a iPhone USB power brick ... not really any need for another one, and another one, and another one after that.

I'm a fan of it if they were to give you the option to include one if you want (without paying more).

What it really does is lower their costs and that's most of why they did it.

Apple is not worried about the environment beyond their ability to market their "care" about it.

I realize that's cynical, but it's how you have to look at ANY company worth TRILLIONS of dollars.

You basically can't get there while being eco conscious.

 

[sw1tcher]

The current upgrade program is going away in case you didn't notice.

Yes, I'm aware. And we also don't know what the terms will be for this new program. So we'll both have to wait to see if there's any interest and how much if there is.

Plus, my reply to john1970 wasn't specific to this rumored new program. It was a general statement in regards to 0% interest loans.

 

[Spock]

Best Buy did a similar program a few years ago, they stopped so I wonder if it was profitable for them. This will be perfect for Apple to keep Mac users locked into the eco-system. I would probably pay monthly for a brand new MacBook Pro every couple of years or so if the monthly charge is reasonable. I do think it will flood the second hand market as Apple sells the recovered MacBooks to places like OWC, might also lower used Mac prices.

 

[Nibo10]

For that slice of user yes, but what tends to happen with an unbundling is that the discrete offerings on their own add up to more money overall.

It is a win win ... mainly for Apple though.

You have to remember, as the forum loves to point out, Apple is a business.
Basically every single they do now, every tweak, every addition or subtraction or change is to make them more money.

Their previous/current upgrade programme effectively divided the device price across X months at 0% interest, adding the Apple Care charge on top. There was no discount applied either to the device or Apple Care, if I’m not mistaken. The sole meaningful shift here is having the option of opting out of Apple Care.

This setup benefits Apple of course - especially in the climate of price hikes - since reduced monthly payments could prompt more purchases, but it also serves the customers who don’t want to pay more for apple care especially during the hikes.

Can’t see why this is a problem. To me more options are great and not every change needs to be a bad thing.

(BTW sorry is this has extra large fonts all of the sudden, my public beta seems to not loving having g to reply to a previous comment 🤷🏻‍♂️)

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

And that’s a problem for you?

With the ever increasing cost of devices, if there is a genuine interest-free option, why would you not use it?

If it’s not interest-free, it may still be of some use to people.

It helps to increase sales which presumably would offset the cost of financing for Apple, if there’s no interest payable by the customer.

Get back on your high horse.

This is not the guy you want to get into a back-and-forth with over the pros and cons of interest-free financing. Trust me. 😀

Let's just say there are pros and cons and like politics and religion, there is something for everyone or you can not take it at all.

 

[Ethrem]

Details are even more depressing (to me).


Apple plans to advertise the program as a way to have lower payments versus current financing programs. The company is planning to discontinue new enrollments for its current iPhone payment programs — the iPhone Upgrade Program and standard financing — to make way for the Apple Upgrade initiative.

Unlike the iPhone Upgrade Program of today, Apple Upgrade doesn’t include AppleCare.

It's not like it was free with iUP though so this is actually a benefit to many of us who don't want it and previously weren't given the option to not have it.

While true, it really seems like there are two camps. People who can afford to drop $1k and people who cannot. The ones that can afford it pay outright and those that cannot finance.

There are plenty of us who have the $1K and still finance. If it's at 0% that's more time having your money working for you.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

There are plenty of us who have the $1K and still finance. If it's at 0% that's more time having your money working for you.

That's how my brain thinks, also...

 

[gummybear2026]

Yes, I'm aware. And we also don't know what the terms will be for this new program. So we'll both have to wait to see if there's any interest and how much if there is.

Plus, my reply to john1970 wasn't specific to this rumored new program. It was a general statement in regards to 0% interest loans.

There's definitely interest involved in the new program. No business is offering 0% interest loans these days.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Here is some advice: if you need to finance a new phone or computer buy a refurbished unit and save some money. I usually keep Apple computers at least four years and the phone three years at minimum. I am seriously considering just replacing the battery in my iPhone 15 Pro and use it for another 1-2 years. I think the battery replacement cost is $99 which is significantly cheaper than a new phone.

I find it funny when posters imply they’re making this big sacrifice by holding onto a three-year-old phone that is still more than fast enough to do everything they were doing.

Heck I used an iPhone 12 the other day and it was more than adequate to do messaging photos, email, web browsing, and use most modern apps. At this point, five year-old phones are still more than fast enough to handle most tasks. 😂😂😂

 

[turbineseaplane]

There are plenty of us who have the $1K and still finance. If it's at 0% that's more time having your money working for you.

I'm sure there are, and good on you taking advantage of it.

I promise you the vast majority are not in that camp.

Guys -- they don't offer financing schemes to not make money off them (0% financing)

 

[McScooby]

One might consider it's linked to massive cull of old devices staring next year to get folk onto the Siri AI platform (locally) as otherwise it's costing them cash whilst simultaneously bumping prices. 5 models taken out in the next 2-3 years. (11/12/13 next year and 14/15 year after)

 

[CalMin]

This is a disturbing sign of the times.

No-one needs a premium or flagship phone that stretches them financially to the extent that the only way they can pay for it is through an interest bearing loan over 1, 2 or 3-years. It's the same with luxury cars which are affordable by most through monthly payments at unattractive APRs.

There are strategies where low interest or zero interest payments can make sense financially, and folks will always argue that they could keep $1k in a savings account and pay the low interest loan and be mathematically better off. But here's the truth. No-one I know ever got rich this way.

These schemes exist to move product and encourage over consumption and buying more than you can afford. I have family members that tell me that they could never save $20,000 for a car, but yet they pay $25,000 over time through loan payments. These are the same ones who will tell me that they 'got a deal' on a $2,000 Samsung Galaxy Phone that they pay $100/month for three years.

 

[turbineseaplane]

This is not the guy you want to get into a back-and-forth with over the pros and cons of interest-free financing. Trust me. 😀

Let's just say there are pros and cons and like politics and religion, there is something for everyone or you can not take it at all.

I didn't appreciate that user being rude about "a high horse" otherwise I would have been happy to engage.

Oh, also, he didn't bother to read anything else already posted, which is its own kind of rude and disrespectful.

What he was talking about was already discussed.

Imagine if folks read things and didn't just post.
lol

Sometimes I wonder if we all just need a journal to get our thoughts out.

 

[warrentotheg]

You will own nothing and be happy.