With the number of smartphones that come out each year, chances are people rarely keep their current ones for more than a year. Wouldn’t it be great if there was something like a phone for lease program where you could just use a phone for a year and then upgrade when a newer device comes along? Well if you live in South Korea and you’re a Samsung fan, then there is something like that coming soon.
This leasing program will begin when the new flagships, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will officially be released by March 11. Interested users will need to sign a 24-month, monthly installment plan to be able to use either of the two devices. But if they upgrade to a newer model in 12 months, they don’t need to finish the remaining payments. If they decide to stick to their current smartphone, then things will go on as they were.
The program will only be offered through the Samsung Digital Plaza and its own physical stores in South Korea and not in other telco stores. The monthly installments will be paid to its affiliate, Samsung Card. Users can choose from any of the three South Korean carriers: SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus.
This local smartphone market has stagnated the past few years due to market saturation as well as enforcement of strict subsidies limit. The chairman of the Korea Communication Commission hopes that this leasing program will actually help the market get back to its feet.
VIA: ZDNet
