Apple doesn’t want you to buy an iPhone anymore
I first wrote about it in 2019, and the signs are that Apple is about to make it a reality: instead of buying an iPhone, customers will now be able to rent one, backed by Applecare protection.
The idea, which could be extended to other hardware products, looks set to be launched at the end of this year or early 2023, and would allow the company to manage its materials and components recycling model, given that most returns would foreseeably take place each time a new handset is launched.
The iPhone represents a signification proportion of Apple’s revenues, with sales following a sawtooth pattern: the peaks represent the first few weeks after a new model is released. If a lot of people go for the rental option, Apple would see its revenue stabilize, allowing the company to better predict cash flow..
The idea of the rent economy — not owning anything and simply renting it — has many detractors, but is part of a trend that makes a lot of sense in fast-moving technological scenarios. While a smartphone can last several years in good working condition without too many problems, the reality is that there are many users who, for whatever reasons (from access to new features to snobbery) prefer to change them as soon as a new model is introduced. Ideally, all these terminals would be returned to the brand at a given…
