Hey, remember that one time Apple announced its hardware subscription service? If not, you're totally forgiven; the last time we heard about it was back in March 2022. The idea was simple; instead of selling brand-new hardware, Apple would offer a plan that gave them a new device every so often. If this sounds like a great idea to you, I have some bad news; the feature has reportedly been scrapped before it could even see the light of day.

Apple is getting rid of its hardware-based subscription service before it released

As reported by Bloomberg, familiar sources on the matter have confirmed that Apple has stopped the hardware subscription service. The company had a rough time trying to get it out of the door, with delays pushing the 2022 project to 2023 before it faded into obscurity. The higher-ups asked the team to go back to the drawing board, and was eventually disassembled entirely and moved to different projects around Apple.

Apple Pay oversaw the subscription plan, but it seems the division is rethinking its plans. After all, it shut down Apple Pay Later a little while ago and now promotes third-party services instead. Despite that, the idea surrounding the iPhone subscription service made a ton of sense. Not only is the iPhone the company's hottest seller, but tying people to a subscription service would ensure people stay loyal to the Cupertino giant for longer. However, it seems the project wasn't meant to be, and the company will instead focus on its tried-and-true method of selling devices.

That's not to say that the company's enthusiasm for subscription services has dried up. There are plenty of Apple subscription services out there that help pick up the slack.