Do you think you already have too many monthly subscriptions? Better buckle up. Apple, with its new Apple Upgrade program, has opened the floodgates for an all-leased future, where you won’t actually own the tech you pay for. Apple, just like every other company, has hiked gadget prices to combat the spiking cost of memory driven by demand from AI data centers. Companies look to Apple as the canary in a coal mine for major trends. So when Apple attacks the pricing problem with a lease program, you can bet every other tech company is taking notice. Apple’s lease program is, on its face, not a bad deal. Smartphones like the iPhone 17 Pro cost $1,100 with just 256GB of storage. At $31.99 per month, keeping the phone for two years would cost you $767. Once the lease period ends, you have the option to either pay off the rest to own the device outright or trade it in to pick up the new hotness. Apple promised it won’t brick your phone for missing a lease payment, though if you miss three payments in a row, Apple will demand its device back. Apple Upgrade may save you money in the short term, but it’s an even better trade for Apple. Lease programs work if the company can take the rented product, refurbish it, and sell it off to a new buyer at a discount. For the leasee, future buyers are essentially subsidizing your current purchase. Apple can pull this off because it has a massive network of brick-and-mortar stores and a hoard of loyal buyers willing to potentially trade for older iPhones and MacBooks.