Apple To Bring Subscription Model To Buy iPhone, iPad In India; Will It Boost Sales?

The move aims to urge buyers to get a subscription for Apple hardware rather than just its digital services. A Bloomberg report quotes persons close to the project, who say it's still in development phases. The new subscription service for iPhone and iPad would ensure Apple its recurring revenue in a major strategy shift.

 

Subscription Service For iPhone, iPad Soon

The Apple subscription service for iPhone would also ease the burden on buyers, who would generally require to shell out whopping thousands of rupees on a new iPhone. Presently, the exact details of the subscription service are unclear. But we believe it would allow buyers to pay for a new iPhone or iPad on a monthly or a set date payment.

Apple's idea is to make buying a new iPhone to be as easy as paying for iCloud storage or the Apple Music subscription each month. The iPhone hardware subscription would also use the same Apple ID and App Store account, which would make shifting from one phone to the latest easier. This brings us to the installment program for the iPhone.

Instead of paying the entire amount of the iPhone in one go, buyers can split the bill over 12 or 24 months, paying the required amount every month. The monthly subscription or installment for the new iPhone would depend on the model they choose. Presently, the high-end iPhone 13 Pro Max with 1TB costs Rs. 1,79,900 - which could be easily split across 12 or 24 months.

Get Latest iPhone In Subscription

Like all Android makers, Apple also released the next-gen iPhone with upgraded features. Fans across the globe are often seen buying the latest iPhone model. In India, iPhone has always been on the high-end of the price spectrum, which makes it difficult for a lot of people to upgrade their iPhones every year.

The alleged subscription service would further ease this transition, the report says. This will allow interested buyers to easily swap their old iPhones and get the latest one of their choice. It wouldn't require paying thousands or lakhs of rupees in go, giving buyers time of 12 to 24 months to complete the payment in installments.

Will It Boost iPhone Sales In India?

Several retailers and e-commerce platforms have similar subscription plans. Flipkart particularly has a program that allows buyers to swap their old phones to get new devices. The Apple subscription plan could boost iPhone sales in India. This could also witness a shift of Android users to iPhone.

That said, the report notes the plan may or may not make it to the market. "The subscription service is still expected to launch at the end of 2022 but could be delayed into 2023 or end up getting canceled," the report states.