Apple Plans Device Leasing Program 'Apple Upgrade' Amid DRAM Shortage and Price Hikes
July 26, 2026
There is no confirmed information yet on whether the program will launch in India.
Both Klarna and Apple have not commented on the Bloomberg report."
Some products may be ineligible, and business or education customers might be excluded from participation.
Apple is reportedly preparing a new device leasing program called Apple Upgrade that could launch imminently, enabling customers to lease select iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches instead of buying them outright.
Unlike the previous iPhone Upgrade Program, base payments would not include AppleCare+, which purchasers must buy separately for full protection.
Enrollment timing is tentative with limited availability, signaling a rollout rather than a full nationwide launch.
Enrollment will phase out existing financing options, and the program has exclusions—including Apple Watch SE, entry-level iPad, iPhone 16, MacBook Neo—and business/education purchases; some devices will not qualify.
Prices for iPads and MacBooks have risen due to memory and storage costs, and Tim Cook signals further price increases for iPhones are likely, though exact figures are undisclosed.
Apple’s leadership cites a DRAM memory shortage and higher prices as risks, with plans to use cash reserves to bolster memory supply while not building own memory factories.
Analysts expect Apple to stagger launches to balance supply and demand, with focus on premium pricing and potential effects on refresh cycles for older models.
The pricing move follows memory shortages and precedes anticipated price adjustments with the likely iPhone 18 release in September.
Initially, the program is expected to roll out in the United States, with potential expansion if successful.
Summary based on 15 sources
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Sources

AppleInsider • Jul 26, 2026
Apple Upgrade installment program set to go live on Tuesday
Fossbytes • Jul 27, 2026
Apple Planning to Launch a New Upgrade Leasing Program Next Week
Daily Voice • Jul 26, 2026
Apple Upgrade Program Launching Through Klarna Partnership
TelecomTalk • Jul 27, 2026
Apple Upgrade, a New Leasing Program will Launch Soon in the US