Samsung may match Apple with its own phone upgrade program - CNET

With Apple's plan, you sign a 24-month agreement, but by paying for the phone in 12 monthly installments you can upgrade to the latest iPhone after a year. The benefit to Apple is that the company is able to lock in buyers by promising them a new phone every year. Customers get more flexibility than available through traditional two-year contracts, which force people to keep the same phone for a longer period.

Assuming the report is true, Samsung could roll out its upgrade program starting with its Galaxy S7, which has may hit the market as soon as March. The upgrade program would likely launch first in South Korea, according to the Electronic Times, and then expand to the US and other regions. Apple's upgrade plan so far covers only the US.

In the United States, all four major carriers now offer installment plans either as an option or as your only choice. Wireless operators are moving away from traditional two-year contracts and the subsidies that come with them, instead requiring customers to pay full price for devices. The new program would be a way for Samsung to compete with US carriers to directly grab customers.