This is genius, I am sure the finance department saw the benefits of the leasing model:
1. New customers: lower barrier to entry, try, or switch into the ecosystem.
2. Loyal customers: Upgrade propensity is increased as friction decreases.
3. Innovators: offers options for those who want to try a model, but might later change their minds for something that better suits them.
All this increases exposure and engagement to the brand, which translates to increasing sales and revenue.
I mean this isn’t rocket science. I feel ideas like these are always sitting on the back burner waiting to deploy. The same goes with product features. They know the upside and impact to finances and are just waiting for the right conditions to pull the trigger