[borski]

Fine, but the depreciation is not all that significant. Hypothetically, there is absolutely nothing stopping you from buying the device with Apple Pay Later for 0% interest, selling it unopened for full (or close to full) value, and making money from arbitrage that way.

As a result, depreciation can be written off, I think, since I would argue if you do buy it and keep it you’ve gotten value from it even if it isn’t cash.

[acka]

I'm not sure this will fly, or at least I think it depends on the issuer and the law in the particular jurisdiction of the buyer. I remember reading in the fine print of one issuer of BNPL in my country a statement that the buyer does not have full ownership of the product until after payment of the final installment of the loan has been received and confirmed by the issuer, implying that the product cannot be sold to a third party until the loan has been repaid in full. I am unsure if such a statement has any legal force but buyer beware.