this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2026
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$38.99 * 36 = $1403.64. That doesn't seem right.
Macrumors has a more detailed analysis (different device in their example):
Seems like it's just designed to keep people buying new hardware regularly.
It really only makes sense if you buy a new phone or computer every year/lease term.
This is good though, so it might not be that bad of a deal if you could use the credit anyway:
For the people that do it, if you paid $1099 upfront, and then sold it after a year to buy the next upgrade, how much would you get for the 1 year old phone?
That'll help decide if it's worth it or not, and I'm sure there will be deals that put it in your favor at times vs buying outright.
If you buy a phone and sell it after a year, you have 'nothing'
If you buy it outright you spend $1000 and resell it for $500 you have $500
You lease it for $500 you still have $500
But that has to be your original plan to get a new phone.
Sometimes, the lease deals work in your favor and you'll end up with more than the resell value. Sometimes you can get a really good outright deal too.
Edit: and without a lease deal, outright usually wins.
It’s the exact same thing that cars have been doing forever.
It’s meant for the people who are constant upgraders.