14 DAY TRIAL // Phone leasing programs are pretty common in the US these days and the majority of carriers are offering something of the sort. Apple is too with its Upgrade Program, so naturally, Samsung wants a piece of the cake as well.
Speaking with Forbes, an unnamed industry executive with knowledge of Samsung’s plans says that the company is prepping a leasing program for its Galaxy devices which will go live in the US. There aren’t many details available about the upcoming service, although we’re told it’s going to be pretty similar to Apple’s.
With Upgrade Program, the Cupertino tech giant is looking to offer unlocked versions of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus that can be used under any carrier umbrella. After a year passes, customers can trade in these units for a newer model.
US carriers like AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon are already offering Samsung phones under leasing programs, but Sammy might have a few tricks up its sleeve that will help make the service more attractive for customers.
Samsung prepping its own leasing program
At the moment, we don’t have any information related to the pricing schemes Samsung might propose. Nevertheless, we might not have to wait that long to find out, because the service will apparently be made available in a few months. It’s unclear whether this will happen before we step into 2016 or not.
So far, carrier partners have been offering smartphones by virtue of subsidized plans that involved locked-in models with two-year contracts. Now, the carriers are trying out different strategies that force customers to acquire their own hardware. But not having subsidized options available might put a toll on high-end sales such as the Apple iPhone family or the Samsung Galaxy bunch.
Samsung’s latest smartphones, the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5, are high-end models which cost quite a lot, especially for those who opt for more extensive internal storage options. So with the leasing program, Samsung is hoping to make customers forget about the new and shiny iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 Plus. The company is also prepping its next-flagship, the Galaxy S7, which will also probably cost a fortune.