In association with CIT as the financing partner, Apple has launched a new Mac Upgrade Program for small businesses and Apple business partners that allow companies to easily distribute and upgrade their fleets of MacBooks at an affordable price to all of their workers.
As outlined on CIT's website, shared by Max Weinbach, Apple Business Partners can distribute the 13-inch MacBook Pro, 13-inch MacBook Air, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 16-inch MacBook Pro to their staff for only 3% of their retail list prices as monthly installments.
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are offered at $60 and $75 per month, respectively, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are offered at $30 and $39 monthly payments. No Mac desktop is provided as part of the program.
While details are scarce, CIT's website says that small businesses can apply for the program through the website, and if approved, Apple will process and ship the Mac orders.
A similar program exists for regular customers with the iPhone Upgrade Program, where customers can get the latest iPhone for one monthly price. The program has been a popular financing option for customers. A Mac Upgrade Program is not offered publicly to regular customers, and it's important to note that customers less often upgrade their Mac computers, so a program in that regard may make less sense.
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Two years ago, a 16" MacBook Pro started at $2,399 which would be $72/month under this program. If we assume the device is worth at least $1,000 (?) wholesale/trade today, the company would've ended up having spent $1,399 net or $58/month. The balance is interest and other costs of $336. $336 interest on a 2 year $2,399 loan is about 13% APR.
I really want Apple to bring this to everyone. I've long wanted that because for many years, before Apple's pricing became too rich for my blood, I was an annual upgrader. I'd love to give Apple something like $350 a month for a Mac, AirPods, iPad, iPhone, AppleTV all with AppleCare on an annual upgrade path. Let them handle the refurbishment and save me time having to sell stuff on eBay to recoup 50% of the cost after 12 months.
Very good news. However 2 things that would make this more appealing to me (and most likely countless others around the world): 1. Expand the 'Upgrade Programme' concept to retail-consumers for a greater array of Apple products that have established regular release cylces e.g. Watch, iPad; and 2. Do deals in other markets with financing companies. Don't limit these types of arrangements to just the US market. Apple is everywhere, so these types of arrangements should be more global.
Hi, I used to be an Apple Small Business Account Manager in San Francisco.
This really isn't very new. My main job was to get business customers to sign up for leases that would allow them to pay monthly and then return the devices every 2 or 3 years. CIT was the finance then and still is.
We would highlight the tax savings, as there is no sales tax (in California) when one leases the equipment and we would ask the customers, "How many old devices do you have and how do you deal with getting rid of them?" They normally would say that they have a closet and found that it was difficult to legally transfer ownership to the employee. All that makes a lease pretty enticing.
I wonder how small is too small? I’m an incorporated freelancer in a computer-intensive field (design and operate large resolution content for live events) so want to upgrade my Macs often.
