Apple has introduced 36-month financing for cellular iPad purchases through AT&T and Verizon, adding to the 12-month option previously available via Apple Card.
The new financing, first reported by 9to5Mac, replaces Apple Card Monthly Installments as the sole route to spreading out a cellular iPad purchase. That plan paid off the balance interest-free over 12 months; the new carrier options extend across Apple's full cellular iPad lineup, including the iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
Both carriers restrict eligibility to subscribers activating a new line of service, rather than those adding a cellular iPad to an existing plan. The principal distinction between the two options is term length. Extending repayment from 12 months to 36 months substantially reduces the monthly cost, although the total amount financed remains unchanged.
The addition follows Apple's iPad price increases from late June, which affected the entire lineup. The extended financing term offers a way to offset the impact of those higher prices at checkout.
The 11-inch iPad Pro's cellular configuration now starts at $1,399, up from $1,199 prior to the price increase, which amounts to $116.58 per month under the 12-month Apple Card plan. Financed through AT&T or Verizon instead, the same purchase costs approximately $38 per month over 36 months.
