A Samsung logo is seen at Samsung Electronics' headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, December 18, 2015. Picture taken on December 18, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd plans to launch a phone upgrade program similar to one launched by rival Apple Inc last year, South Korea’s Electronic Times reported on Wednesday citing unnamed sources.

Samsung could start the program once its next flagship Galaxy S7 smartphone goes on sale in South Korea, which is expected to be around March, the paper said.

The program will allow customers to upgrade their device every year and may later expand to other countries, according to the report.

A Samsung spokeswoman declined to comment.