Apple is developing an iPhone hardware subscription service.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple Inc. is working on a subscription service for the iPhone and other hardware items, a move that could make gadget ownership akin to paying a monthly app fee, according to Bloomberg News.

 

The service would be Apple's boldest push towards automatically repeating sales yet, allowing users to subscribe to hardware instead of merely digital services for the first time. However, the idea is still in the works, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified because the initiative has yet to be publicized.