Apple has launched Apple Upgrade in the United States, a new leasing program through Klarna that lets customers pay monthly for iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad. The program is live on the Apple Store online, in the Apple Store app and at Apple Store locations.
The timing matters because Apple is not simply adding another payment path. It is replacing its U.S. iPhone Upgrade Program and iPhone Payments options with a broader leasing setup that starts at $17.99 a month for iPhone, $11.99 for Apple Watch, $24.99 for Mac and $11.99 for iPad. For customers searching now, the appeal is simple: a new way to get an Apple device without paying the full price upfront.
Apple said eligible customers can apply within minutes online or in-store and get quick approval from Klarna. The company said all applicants go through a soft credit inquiry that will not affect a credit score. Customers buying in-store can walk out with the device right away, while online shoppers can choose delivery or in-store pickup. An Apple Trade In credit can lower monthly payments when a customer enrolls, and Apple Card users can earn 3 percent Daily Cash back on lease payments.
Karen Rasmussen said Apple Upgrade gives customers, both online and in-store, a more flexible way to pay for the products they want. The structure is built around term lengths rather than ownership from the start: iPhone and Apple Watch leases run 12 or 24 months, while Mac and iPad leases run 24 or 36 months. That matters because the monthly bill is only part of the calculation; the device still has to come back, be bought, or be rolled into a newer model when the term ends.
At the end of the lease, customers can upgrade to the latest generation, buy the device with a one-time payment or return it and leave the program. For current users of the iPhone Upgrade Program, Apple said the path forward depends on eligibility: they can move to Apple Upgrade, use Apple Card Monthly Installments, buy outright or choose carrier financing. The company has not said why it is ending the older U.S. programs, but the shift leaves Apple with a single new leasing lane for more of its hardware and a cleaner break from the financing options it is retiring.
What matters next is not whether Apple has opened another payment option. It is which customers can actually get in, since Apple has not spelled out the full eligibility rules for Apple Upgrade. Until that is clear, the launch is both an expansion and a narrowing: more devices, more term choices, but fewer ways to finance an iPhone in the United States than before.
