No, CA Guy, it means people can upgrade more often. They don't have to wait until a two year contract expires to upgrade. In fact, that is exactly what is happening with the NEXT program at AT&T. Subscribers are upgrading every year, trading in their phones by rolling over their one year old model for the newest model when it comes out by trading in the older one. . . just like buying a car with a balance still left on it, but which has enough equity to pay for itself. Sorry, but you are just wrong.
I bought my iPhone 6 on the NEXT program and when the iPhone 6s came out, I walked into the AT&T store, turned in my iPhone 6 and walked out with an iPhone 6s at zero cost out of my pocket and my payments per month on my purchase contract did not change. . . they were just extended equal to the number I had already paid on my iPhone 6. Next year, when the iPhone 7 comes out, I can walk in and trade in my iPhone 6s and walk out with an iPhone 7. Same deal.
With that plan, Apple sells a new phone every twelve months instead of selling a new phone every 24 months. If every Apple iPhone user does it, they just doubled their sales! In addition, they get used iPhones to recondition and sell at discounted prices over-seas in emerging markets. Win-win. . . and higher profits.
I have AT&T and they quoted me $500 dollars higher than my last Phone the 6. 8th was the last deal date for contracts. Basically one way or another they want $850..
All these phone company stocks are going down as people upgrade half or less as much as before IMO.
Does that mean you never actually OWN your iPhone? Just lease it?
I give my old iPhone to my girlfriend, if I lease it under the new plan, that MEAns I can never give it to someone, right?
Ed