03/28/2022

Apple Wants You to Subscribe to the iPhone

Pelaton is doing a similar thing

I hope you're ready for the Netflixification of all your stuff, because yet another device company is reportedly hatching plans to make that happen.

According to Bloomberg reporter and Apple soothsayer Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a service where customers would be able to rent iPhones (and possibly iPads) by paying a subscription fee. For Apple, it's perhaps a natural move. The company has a robust slate of subscription plans already, it has offered trade-in plans for its phones for years, and its carrier partners have previously adopted this tactic by doling out new phones to some customers on an annual basis.

The iPhone-by-subscription idea aligns with Apple's ongoing push to merge its every device and service into a unified Apple ecosystem. And it's not the only company testing such a service; Peloton is also trying out hardware subscriptions for its bikes. Plans like these might be appealing if you scoff at the idea of paying $1,000 for a device that will have a newer, shiner replacement within a year. Of course, it also gives the manufacturer more control over its devices. If you're just renting a gadget, you're probably not going to want to tinker with it or repair it on your own.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.