While Apple is dragging its feet on launching its long-rumored hardware subscription service, Best Buy has been quietly filling the void. After announcing its Upgrade+ program for the Mac last year, it has now expanded it to include the iPad Pro and Apple Watch Ultra—and it’s a pretty compelling offer.
If you buy an Apple Watch Ultra or 11-inch iPad Pro, both of which normally retail for $799, you can instead pay $17.32 a month for 36 months, or a total of $623.52. At the end of the three years of payments, you’ll have the option to pay off the remaining $175.48 and keep the device; alternatively, you can turn it in, upgrade to the latest model, and reset the payments. The program is also available for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with monthly payments of $25.98.
A program like this makes much more sense for an Apple Watch than it does for a Mac. A Mac is an investment that’s longer than three years, but a Watch is a different story. By the end of the Upgrade+ term, there will definitely be a new Apple Watch Ultra on the market that’s enticing enough to upgrade from a three-year-old model.
Apple has long been rumored to be launching its own hardware subscription service for the iPhone and other devices, and it’s likely to look similar to Best Buy’s program. A two- or three-year term is about right, and Apple would likely bake some sort of savings into the subscription as well, with an option to buy or upgrade once the terms are fulfilled. Whereas the iPhone Upgrade Program merely spreads out the full cost of an iPhone with AppleCare+ over two years with an option to trade it in after 24 months, the rumored hardware program will reportedly be more like a car lease than a financing plan.
It’s not clear how many products will be included in the first round of subscriptions, but the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch are obviously strong contenders. We could see the first subscriptions arrive in September when Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lines.
