Apple will soon let you lease iPhones, iPads in US
What's the story
Apple is teaming up with payment processor Klarna to introduce a new lease-to-own program for its devices in the US. The initiative, dubbed "Apple Upgrade," will be launched on July 28. It will let customers pay for their purchases over multi-year periods, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, as well as Apple Watches.
Program details
Consumers can keep, return, or upgrade devices at lease end
The lease term for iPhones and Apple Watches under the new program will be up to 24 months, while leases for Macs and iPads will extend up to 36 months.
At the end of the leasing period, consumers can either keep or return their devices. They can also upgrade to new ones (hence the name of the program).
Strategic move
Initiative addresses supply chain issues
The launch of Apple Upgrade comes as a strategic response to the supply chain issues caused by an industry-wide shortage of memory chips.
The problem, dubbed "RAMageddon," has been largely driven by the AI industry consuming so much memory that it leaves little for other sectors.
To tackle these challenges, Apple recently announced its decision to raise prices.