Apple Raised Mac Prices. Now It Might Lease You One

Apple may soon let you lease a Mac instead of buying one outright. The company is reportedly in talks to partner with Klarna, the Swedish buy-now-pay-later giant, turning the rising cost of its hardware into another monthly bill. This move comes as Apple has aggressively raised Mac prices over the past two years, making its computers less accessible to budget-conscious consumers.

Apple Inc. is reportedly exploring a leasing program for Mac computers in partnership with Klarna, according to a CNET report. If finalized, customers could pay for a Mac in monthly installments without an upfront lump sum, signaling a shift in how Apple sells its premium hardware. The timing is critical: Apple has increased Mac prices significantly since 2022, with the latest MacBook Pro models starting at $1,599 and high-end configurations exceeding $6,000. A leasing option could lower the barrier to entry for consumers and small businesses who want Apple's ecosystem but balk at the sticker price.

Apple's pivot toward services revenue has been a central theme under CEO Tim Cook. The company now boasts over 1 billion paid subscriptions across its services, including iCloud, Apple Music, and Apple TV+. Leasing hardware fits this strategy by converting one-time hardware sales into recurring revenue streams. Klarna, a leader in the buy-now-pay-later space, already partners with retailers like H&M and Sephora. A deal with Apple would mark its biggest expansion into high-ticket electronics. Neither Apple nor Klarna has confirmed the talks, but sources indicate the program could launch in late 2025.

The leasing model would likely involve monthly payments over 12 to 24 months, with an option to upgrade to a newer Mac after a set period. This mirrors Apple's existing iPhone Upgrade Program, which lets users spread the cost of an iPhone over 24 months and upgrade annually. However, Macs have never been offered under such a program, partly due to their longer upgrade cycles. The high resale value of Macs—often 50% to 70% after three years—makes leasing financially viable for Apple.

Industry analysts see this as a defensive move. With PC sales slumping in 2023 and 2024, Apple needs to sustain its Mac business. Leasing could also counter competitors like Dell and Lenovo, which already offer leasing options for business customers. "Apple is essentially turning its hardware into a subscription service," said technology analyst Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies. "This is about locking customers into the ecosystem for longer and smoothing out revenue volatility." Consumer advocates warn that leasing could mask the true cost of ownership, especially if terms are opaque. Klarna's late fees and interest rates have drawn scrutiny in Europe and the U.S.

If Apple launches Mac leasing, it will likely start in the United States before expanding globally. Watch for hints at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025 or during its next earnings call. The bigger question is whether Apple will eventually extend leasing to iPads and Apple Watches, further blurring the line between product sales and subscriptions.