Samsung might be copying Apple's big plan to undermine carriers

At its September event this year, Apple announced a new "iPhone Upgrade Program." It lets US customers eschew traditional contracts in favour of leasing a new iPhone from Apple every year for a series of monthly instalments.

It means that customers get all the benefits of a regular upgrade, and Apple gets more control over the distribution of its devices than it has previously had.

Now, arch-rival Samsung is reportedly planning a similar scheme. According to a story in Forbes, the South Korean company intends to launch a similar "leasing" scheme in the US. The report cites an "industry executive with knowledge of Samsung's plans," and says it will launch within months. There's no word on the pricing of the rumoured upgrade program.

We've reached out to Samsung for comment, and will update when it responds.

Here's a chart breaking down the price of the iPhone Upgrade Program compared to other carriers' contracts, courtesy of our friends at Tech Insider: