Should you still buy your next smartphone — or subscribe to it instead?

“All three business models have a place to exist, and they will continue to do so,” Manocha told TechCrunch. “There is a natural transition that may happen from complete ownership to leasing, but it’s a long journey.”

That may be especially true in the U.S., where carrier financing has long dominated premium smartphone purchases.

IDC’s Popal expects Apple’s new Upgrade program to have a bigger impact on Mac sales than iPhones, saying the offering is more likely to expand financing options than fundamentally change how Americans buy their next smartphone.