Depending on where you are in the world, the iPhone 14 series may cost the same or more than the iPhone 13 series at launch, but either way, these phones are very expensive. However, there may soon be a new way to buy them that lets you split the cost.

Apple has been rumored for some time to offer a subscription service for the iPhone and possibly other hardware, and according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the company may launch the service at a later date. This year or early next year.

Gurman said the same thing in the latest issue of the Power On newsletter (opens in new tab), also claiming that “Apple is actively testing this new service.”

The service isn’t just a way to gradually pay off your iPhone. Instead, it’ll be an ongoing subscription that you’ll pay for as long as you keep the phone, but will likely include the option to swap the phone for a new model, and will apparently integrate with the company’s Apple One software subscription.

So for a (potentially high, but currently unknown) monthly fee, you’ll have ongoing access to the latest Apple hardware and software services like Apple Music and Apple Fitness Plus.

As for when the subscription service will land, Gurman isn’t more specific than later this year or early next year, but the next likely announcements are the new iPad Pro 2022 and the new iPad 2022, rumored to be at an event in October middle.

Analysis: Why didn’t it launch when the iPhone 14 was released?

It seems odd that Apple didn’t announce its subscription service during the iPhone 14 launch, since the company could have attracted a flood of signups from customers who will now buy new phones in the usual way, either directly from Apple or through a carrier.

According to Gurman, Apple decided not to do this “to reduce the complexity of launch day. After all, it will add a whole new way to buy an iPhone.”

It might also be the right choice, as the ordering process for the iPhone 14 hasn’t been smooth so far. As reported by 9to5Mac(opens in a new tab), delivery estimates for many models quickly slipped to October, and some people who were told they would get their phones on launch day (September 16) reportedly later watched By this date slipped.

Additionally, various erroneous reports appeared at checkout, with some customers inadvertently buying multiple phones because they were told the order failed when it was actually fulfilled.

So while it might be nice to have the option to order an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, adding another complication to an already broken ordering process might not be smooth.