Why would you bother investing the time, energy, and financial resources into coming up with your own ideas when you can simply “borrow” inspiration from those around you who continually look to innovate? Samsung is reportedly working on its own smartphone leasing program that will work similar to Apple’s recently announced iPhone Upgrade Program.
Apple introduced its’ own iPhone Upgrade Program as part of the iPhone 6s media event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. The program itself is designed to keep users addicted to iPhone by affording consumers the opportunity to pay upwards of $32 a month in order to get the latest iPhone with every annual release cycle. The price may seem a little higher than what you’d pay through a carrier such as T-Mobile or AT&T, but it does come with the advantage of a no-quibble new device each year, as well as AppleCare+ to protect and safeguard the phone.
We’re sure that the internal hierarchy at Samsung will claim that its own proposed Galaxy smartphone leasing program was in the works prior to the Apple announcement two weeks ago. With that said, the distinct lack of specifics surrounding the program would seem to suggest that not everything has been entirely ironed out just yet. The information about the proposed Samsung plan comes from an industry executive with knowledge of Samsung’s plans. The Galaxy leasing plan is said to be launching in the next “several months”, but pricing, as well as additional details pertaining to the program, are currently unknown.
It is obviously going to be a huge concern for Apple that Samsung is once again appearing to take huge inspiration from its playbook. Regardless of who inspired who, the idea of the program itself makes sense for both companies as mobile carriers have been slowly attempting to move away from providing low-cost, minimum-term contracts that come with a heavily subsidized handset. It is now being preferred to tie consumers into a contract with purchased mobile phones. The leasing – or upgrade program as Apple calls it – is one way of ensuring that consumers continue to purchase high-end devices.
We’ll bring you more details about Samsung’s proposed leasing program as soon as it becomes public knowledge.
(Source: Forbes)
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