When’s the last time you bought a CD? Or a DVD?
Streaming has almost entirely replaced physical media, and streaming works on a subscription model. For better or for worse, when one discontinues a streaming subscription, one typically loses access to whichever media was available through that service.
But…what if other things used this model? In this week’s 4cast, we do a roundup of some stories that show that the subscription model is expanding quickly to hardware, and it even has a name: Hardware As a Service (HaaS). Get ready to start paying.
- Your iPhone and iPad Could Be Your Next Subscription [Gizmodo] “The program has not been officially announced, and according to people familiar with the matter, it’s still in development. But it would operate like an auto-leasing program, marking a significant shift for Apple’s business, which makes a bulk of its cash from hardware sales.”
- E-Bike Subscription Service Dance Adds New Cities and Mopeds [TechCrunch] “Customers can reserve their own Dance bike for €79 per month, which includes both theft protection and repairs. When there’s something wrong with your bike, you can schedule a repair over the next 24 hours. That’s part of the reason why Dance is limited to a handful of cities.”
- Subscription roundup: Latest moves by Autonomy, Kyte & FINN [Auto Remarketing] “Autonomy also rolled out new pricing, offering an even lower monthly subscription for a Tesla Model 3, which the company said now costs less than Tesla’s own lease or an installment contract. Autonomy said subscribers can reserve the Model 3 via Autonomy’s app or website with a $100 refundable deposit. The new subscription price includes a flat monthly payment of $490 and $4,900 start payment.”
- Why you might be leasing not buying your next couch [CNBC] “Brick-and-mortar furniture brands like IKEA are also exploring leasing models. For the Swedish retailer, experimenting with renting is part of a grander plan to transition to a circular business model by 2030, with the aim of eventually using only renewable or recycled raw materials, improving design principles to allow for less wear and tear when products are assembled and disassembled, and refurbishing and repurposing used goods or their components.”
From the Ohio Web Library:
- Hardware-as-a-Service Market to Exceed US$ 300 Billion by 2027 Globally |CAGR 25%| UnivDatos Market Insights (PR Newswire. (2021, May 12). Hardware-as-a-Service Market to Exceed US$ 300 Billion by 2027 Globally |CAGR 25%| UnivDatos Market Insights. PR Newswire US.)
- PRODUCTS IN THE PIPELINE (Products in the Pipeline. (2021). LP/Gas, 81(11), 14–15.)
- Hardware as-a-Service (HaaS) Industry Growth Insights 2020-2025 – Featuring Navitas Lease Corporation, FUSE3 Communications, Ingram Micro, and Design Data Systems Among Others (Hardware as-a-Service (HaaS) Industry Growth Insights 2020-2025 – Featuring Navitas Lease Corporation, FUSE3 Communications, Ingram Micro, and Design Data Systems Among Others. (2020). M2PressWIRE.)
