> Pay $32/mo (so $770 total) to use an iPhone for two years and then give it back to Apple.

At the end of your device lease term, you have an option to buy out your leased device. With the buy out cost being equal to the device sticker price minus the amount you had already paid on your lease.

This seems pretty fair to me tbh.

Was it replaced though? I still see the option to finance at 0% on https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-17-pro.

> This is truly the most dystopian timeline.

Why? Leasing has always been an option that some people and businesses prefer, depending on the circumstances. It’s commonly done with cars. In business situations leasing can be very common because it works well with your cash flow and doesn’t require taking more debt on your books.

You can buy out the item at the end of the lease term. Some people like this optionality because they get to defer the purchase decision into the future and benefit from any new information, like whether or not a new iPhone is worth upgrading to or how the battery is holding up.

The most dystopian thing about this timeline is how completely normalised corporate propaganda is.

> While our customers have loved the iPhone Upgrade Program, we’re always looking for ways to give them more flexibility, better value, and a more seamless experience.

If I were malicious dictator for life, there would be a special section in my gulags for the people who write copy that entails telling customers it's raining while pissing on them.