Apple Ends iPhone Upgrade Program in the UK, Transitions to New Flexible Finance Model
The technology giant discontinues its annual iPhone Upgrade Program in Britain and introduces a credit-based financing alternative for future device purchases
Apple has officially discontinued its iPhone Upgrade Program in the United Kingdom, marking the end of a long-standing, annual device refresh scheme and signalling a shift in how customers will finance future iPhone purchases.
The change, confirmed by updates on Apple’s UK website, reflects the conclusion of its partnership with Barclays Bank, which previously provided the 0 per cent APR financing that underpinned the program’s structure.
Under the legacy scheme, UK customers could obtain a new iPhone each year after making a set number of monthly payments, with AppleCare+ device protection bundled in as part of the arrangement.
Apple has emphasised that existing participants do not need to take any immediate action and should continue their scheduled payments until their current plans conclude.
When ready for a new device, the company said a newly introduced financing option will offer “a more flexible way” to upgrade.
To replace the terminated program, Apple has launched a “Flexible Finance Account” in partnership with Belfast-based Creation, offering a line of credit that allows customers to spread the cost of their next iPhone purchase.
The new structure offers multiple repayment plans, including a twenty-month option with an annual upgrade opportunity and a thirty-month plan with a biennial upgrade option.
Unlike the previous program, AppleCare+ is not automatically included and must be purchased separately.
Apple’s decision to end the Upgrade Program in the UK appears to coincide with broader adjustments to its retail financing arrangements, with the company moving away from its longstanding relationship with Barclays toward a framework with Creation and PayPal Credit for general device financing.
This transition is designed to give customers a spectrum of credit options rather than a single, fixed upgrade pathway.
The discontinuation of the iPhone Upgrade Program in Britain contrasts with its continued availability in other markets, including the United States, where similar models remain in place.
For UK consumers, the shift heralds a new era in device financing but also a departure from an annual upgrade guarantee that had been distinctively marketed by Apple in previous years.
The Flexible Finance Account is now positioned as the primary route for spread-payment purchases of Apple products within the UK.
The change, confirmed by updates on Apple’s UK website, reflects the conclusion of its partnership with Barclays Bank, which previously provided the 0 per cent APR financing that underpinned the program’s structure.
Under the legacy scheme, UK customers could obtain a new iPhone each year after making a set number of monthly payments, with AppleCare+ device protection bundled in as part of the arrangement.
Apple has emphasised that existing participants do not need to take any immediate action and should continue their scheduled payments until their current plans conclude.
When ready for a new device, the company said a newly introduced financing option will offer “a more flexible way” to upgrade.
To replace the terminated program, Apple has launched a “Flexible Finance Account” in partnership with Belfast-based Creation, offering a line of credit that allows customers to spread the cost of their next iPhone purchase.
The new structure offers multiple repayment plans, including a twenty-month option with an annual upgrade opportunity and a thirty-month plan with a biennial upgrade option.
Unlike the previous program, AppleCare+ is not automatically included and must be purchased separately.
Apple’s decision to end the Upgrade Program in the UK appears to coincide with broader adjustments to its retail financing arrangements, with the company moving away from its longstanding relationship with Barclays toward a framework with Creation and PayPal Credit for general device financing.
This transition is designed to give customers a spectrum of credit options rather than a single, fixed upgrade pathway.
The discontinuation of the iPhone Upgrade Program in Britain contrasts with its continued availability in other markets, including the United States, where similar models remain in place.
For UK consumers, the shift heralds a new era in device financing but also a departure from an annual upgrade guarantee that had been distinctively marketed by Apple in previous years.
The Flexible Finance Account is now positioned as the primary route for spread-payment purchases of Apple products within the UK.
