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Combined Hardware-Software Subscription Bundles a Logical Step for Apple, Analysts Argue
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Yeah, but you can guess based on the past. It's not hard to sell if you know what you're doing. Some people don't. That's why Apple gets away with such a below-market trade-in value, convenience.
First time I tried selling an iPhone on eBay, I learned the hard way that if it's an auction, you have to restrict where bids can come from then manually cancel bids that still manage to pop up from outside. Otherwise I incessantly get people in Russia buying the phone then not paying, I guess hoping that I send it anyway, which wastes my time. (Sorry if you live in Russia and are trying to legitimately buy my used phones.)
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We were talking more broadly about the entire rental existence. Not just this new idea of Apple hardware.
As long as there is a choice. If more software makers gave us that choice, subscriptions probably wouldn't have earned such a terrible reputation.
Windows and possibly MacOs development ends in 2025 anyway.
SCREW THIS. Just like I ditched CABLE.
SCREW THIS. Just like I ditched CABLE.
The game before subscription software existed was you buy it, but they hardly support it. A macOS version or two later, and it no longer runs. Looking at you, Parallels.
As much as I hate using Windows, I can't blame people for using it when their reason is legacy support. Win10 can run Win95 software.
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If Apple wants to offer that option I think it’s great but the day I can’t buy a piece of hardware like a laptop or desktop and own it outright without a monthly fee is the day I stop buying. Think of people on fixed incomes who may need to get 7+ years out of a device if they can. They should be able to pay less and own it longer. Plus we’re already monthly feed to death. At some point we’ll get market saturation on these kinds of programs.
A monthly fee and yearly upgrades sound amazing if you're a business that provides laptops and phones to employees.
Much easier to do the accounting (no need to track asset deprecation) and spreads the expenses across the year.
Not so exciting for a regular Joe, though. I'm personally pretty sick of them subscriptions everywhere.
Much easier to do the accounting (no need to track asset deprecation) and spreads the expenses across the year.
Not so exciting for a regular Joe, though. I'm personally pretty sick of them subscriptions everywhere.
I highly doubt Apple would do away with outright purchasing - the original article didn't mention it - as they still make no lack of money from actually selling devices and I'm figuring doing so requires less effort than maintaining an ongoing lease.
That said, a hardware subscription would have the benefit of lowering the (apparent) cost-of-entry into the Apple Ecosystem, which arguably has long been the main barrier for many people. I'll admit right now handing over $2K for a new laptop wouldn't be easy... $49 p/m or whatever (probably a lot more!) would be a much easier decision to make. Phone providers have been doing this for years, hardly a new concept. Even my carrier allows you to include an iPad along with your phone plan and pay it off over 12-36 months. They used to have technology update options too get into the latest phone every year, but they seem to alternate availability on that.
It's functionally the same thing, but a subscription sounds easier than organising financing or leasing arrangements.
It wouldn't appeal to every consumer, obviously, but I'm sure there are plenty willing to commit to a chunky monthly payment to be guaranteed the latest of everything. For anyone in business - where monthly costs are more easily written off than big asset purchases - it'd be a nobrainer (like leasing already is).
That said, a hardware subscription would have the benefit of lowering the (apparent) cost-of-entry into the Apple Ecosystem, which arguably has long been the main barrier for many people. I'll admit right now handing over $2K for a new laptop wouldn't be easy... $49 p/m or whatever (probably a lot more!) would be a much easier decision to make. Phone providers have been doing this for years, hardly a new concept. Even my carrier allows you to include an iPad along with your phone plan and pay it off over 12-36 months. They used to have technology update options too get into the latest phone every year, but they seem to alternate availability on that.
It's functionally the same thing, but a subscription sounds easier than organising financing or leasing arrangements.
It wouldn't appeal to every consumer, obviously, but I'm sure there are plenty willing to commit to a chunky monthly payment to be guaranteed the latest of everything. For anyone in business - where monthly costs are more easily written off than big asset purchases - it'd be a nobrainer (like leasing already is).
Not me. Absolutely NOT!
I will not subscribe to any software of any kind. Imagine that. They want us to subscribe to a piece of software.
Enough is enough with this craziness.
I remember when most apps were 0.99 and you bought them at that price.
Then the greed stepped in and now its 10 dollars and sometimes even 20 bucks for some apps a month!!!
On top of that Apple is a two trillion dollar company how much more do they need?
And they even pay exceptionally lousy dividends for a two trillion dollar company.
They're out of control crazy.
I will not subscribe to any software of any kind. Imagine that. They want us to subscribe to a piece of software.
Enough is enough with this craziness.
I remember when most apps were 0.99 and you bought them at that price.
Then the greed stepped in and now its 10 dollars and sometimes even 20 bucks for some apps a month!!!
On top of that Apple is a two trillion dollar company how much more do they need?
And they even pay exceptionally lousy dividends for a two trillion dollar company.
They're out of control crazy.
Makes sense, I don't use eBay for those kinds of transactions, I've heard too many horror stories. I only do in-person transactions. I did get burned once where someone gave me fake cash for an iPad, but amazingly enough, the cops got it back for me. I was also young and stupid
You're right, however this transition is an anamoly and the Intel machines are technically not obsolete. In fact there are still certain workflows that rely heavily on external hardware that are as-yet incompatible with M1.
At least you got fake cash instead of a whack on the head. IDK how to enforce payment other than physically being there, and I'm not gonna show up armed to sell stuff. In fact it might even be better to leave the item somewhere and hope they're honest enough to leave cash in its place. Or trade in a crowded place where they'd be afraid to try something.Makes sense, I don't use eBay for those kinds of transactions, I've heard too many horror stories. I only do in-person transactions. I did get burned once where someone gave me fake cash for an iPad, but amazingly enough, the cops got it back for me. I was also young and stupid
Anyway, not something I want to have to think about.
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I'd think it's the other way around. Businesses already pay people to track assets, but I'm not paying anyone. Really I'm just taking the hit by buying things that I can't efficiently sell later.
I mean I R bad at the maths. It’s a 1976 FJ40 Landcruiser. A horrible gas mileage vehicle. It’s not driven very often anymore.
My other 2 are both Hybrids. I would consider an all electric but my state doesn’t have many chargers.
But I can’t claim anything but my own stupidity for getting the age wrong.
No worries. I'm an engineer and I screw up basic math more often than I care to admit. That's what calculators are for! 😅
You should look at plug-in hybrids if you can get them. Both my cars are PHEVs and are really great cars. You can get a 240 V home charger for commutes and errands and just use gas for long trips (or stick to the 120 V standard outlet if the battery is on the smaller side). Until there are as many quick-chargers as their are Tesla superchargers (a car I can never afford), BEVs don't really make much sense IMHO, at least for long trips.
No worries. I'm an engineer and I screw up basic math more often than I care to admit. That's what calculators are for! 😅
You should look at plug-in hybrids if you can get them. Both my cars are PHEVs and are really great cars. You can get a 240 V home charger for commutes and errands and just use gas for long trips (or stick to the 120 V standard outlet if the battery is on the smaller side). Until there are as many quick-chargers as their are Tesla superchargers (a car I can never afford), BEVs don't really make much sense IMHO, at least for long trips.
We were looking at a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid PHEV that actually did get released this year and supposedly had 65 miles of real battery driving range. This is different than the Hybrid RAV 4 which can drive a very short/slow distance on electric alone. But evidently they only allotted 5000 units total for the North American market, and most of those for the west coast of the US and Canada.
Did I ask a couple of local dealers about them? Yes. Did they know or admit to knowing about them? One did. When asked what the chance of getting one to the middle of the US they said zero. We could have tried calling California or Oregon or Washington state dealers but we figured that the only way we would have a chance was to overbid by quite a bit.
