If it’s true, then it will be a big win for Apple and other brands will take a note out of the playbook. Apple is reportedly working on selling iPhones and iPads as part of a hardware subscription service, according to report from Bloomberg, suggesting the service could arrive next year.

This can be Apple’s biggest move towards automatically recurring sales, “allowing users to subscribe to hardware for the first time — rather than just digital services”. In the last few years, Apple has increased its focus on subscription services, like Apple Music streaming service, Apple TV+ for movies and television, Apple Arcade for games, iCloud+ for cloud storage, and more. If the hardware service news is correct, it could turn iPhones into something more similar to leasing than paying off a purchase. It will be a great option for those want to upgrade every year.

“It could help Apple generate more revenue and make it easier for consumers to stomach spending thousands of dollars on new devices,” writes Mark Gurman, who has been following the company closely for years.

The reported programme is different from the installment programme in that the monthly charge wouldn’t be the price of the device split across 12 or 24 months. It will be a “yet-to-be-determined monthly fee” that depends on which device the user chooses. It seems that the company has had preliminary discussions internally about attaching the hardware subscription programme to its Apple One bundles and AppleCare technical support plans.

But the question is will Apple really agree to lend out phones on a monthly basis. What if a person wants to return the phone after watching binging on WeCrashed?