Following the Apple Car, Apple has scrapped another project this year. According to Bloomberg, the tech giant was working since 2022 on a monthly subscription model, similar to Apple Music, which would allow users to receive a new iPhone every year.
After delaying the launch of this subscription to 2023, the company has decided to abandon it, reallocating team members to other projects. This team was also responsible for the "Apple Pay Later" service, which allowed users to pay in installments for purchases and was discontinued in June.
Bloomberg cites the desire to avoid upsetting Apple's numerous global carrier partners as a reason for the abandonment, as these carriers base their subscription offers on smartphone subsidies tied to monthly phone plans. Additionally, there was a legal risk: similar to "Apple Pay Later," the subscription would have subjected Apple to the same regulatory requirements as credit companies.
