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Robert.Walter

macrumors 68040
Jul 10, 2012
3,099
4,406
Very interesting that Apple / GS has moved up their rate 3 times in last 2 months, after not moving it up at all since inception. Most other banks that moved up over time did so in relative lock-step with the fed increasing the fed funds rate (maybe with a little lag). The last increase in the fed funds rate was in July 2023 - generally no other HYSA has increased its interest rate since then. But Apple has done so in Dec and Jan, after it's been widely reported that Goldman is looking to move on from its partnership...

Maybe a lot of ppl have been pulling their money after the Goldman announcement, so this is a way to try and entice ppl to stay (or join?)
This is reason. The more money that leaves the less attractive the business to an acquirer.

Conversely the higher the rate the less attractive the business.

They are walking a knife edge to prevent capital flight without destroying margins.

As long as there are banks offering 0.5 to 1% more flight will continue.
 
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jdiamond

macrumors 6502a
Dec 17, 2008
699
535
Does anyone know how Apple does this? When a bank gives you interest, it's because they are investing your money in a way that makes more interest than what they give you. But the only loans Apple gives out are interest free. Sure, Apple gets some percentage as a credit card fee from the merchant, but I doubt it's that high.

And if Apple were just paying this money out as a loss to encourage use of Apple Pay, what's in it for Apple? Just marketing?
 

supergt

macrumors 6502a
Feb 22, 2019
621
1,514
Does anyone know how Apple does this? When a bank gives you interest, it's because they are investing your money in a way that makes more interest than what they give you. But the only loans Apple gives out are interest free. Sure, Apple gets some percentage as a credit card fee from the merchant, but I doubt it's that high.

And if Apple were just paying this money out as a loss to encourage use of Apple Pay, what's in it for Apple? Just marketing?

Apple is not a bank. Goldman Sachs is operating both the savings account and Apple Card. These products are a strategy to get more iPhone users and keep them in the Apple ecosystem. Something that Samsung doesn’t offer and it would be a PITA to switch and lose these offerings.
 

crawfish963

macrumors 6502a
Apr 16, 2010
933
1,637
Texas
You do understand that the actual inflation rate is only 3.7%, don't you? The inflation rate under the last administration peaked at 14.8%. Time to look at actual, legitimate economic statistics from the federal reserve, the US treasury, and the bureau of labor and statistics for once.
These are delusional numbers. Are you suggesting inflation under Trump was higher than under Biden??
 

gregmac19

macrumors regular
Jul 28, 2016
199
146
You do understand that the actual inflation rate is only 3.7%, don't you? The inflation rate under the last administration peaked at 14.8%. Time to look at actual, legitimate economic statistics from the federal reserve, the US treasury, and the bureau of labor and statistics for once.
Inflation rate YOY (https://www.investopedia.com/inflation-rate-by-year-7253832)

2017: 2.10%
2018: 1.90%
2019: 2.30%
2020: 1.40%
2021: 7.00%
2022: 6.50%
2023: 3.40%

Narrative?
 
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Robert.Walter

macrumors 68040
Jul 10, 2012
3,099
4,406
Apple Savings should be just one of the places you keep your money, and always keep enough money in your Apple Savings to cover a few months of your Apple Card bills. Let's say, hypothetically, your regular bank unbanks you and denies you many of the ways you go about paying for your life. You can still pay your Apple Card bills by first transferring to Apple Cash and then paying your bill from that.
You can pay your Apple Card statement directly from savings. I did it once but don’t recall how.
 

Saturn007

macrumors 65816
Jul 18, 2010
1,458
1,324
Assuming the inflation rates tied are correct, how are low rates such as 1.4%, 2.1%, and 2.3% evidence of corporate gouging?

Look, a large part of inflation in recent years has been due to supply chain issues, market power and concentration, and yes, collusion, greed, and overcharging. Some economic analyses have suggested up to half of the inflation in the past several years was due to corporate pricing practices and greed!

But labeling all inflation over the last years as “corporate gouging” simply isn't supported by the figures cited or the evidence.
 

AppleFan735

macrumors regular
Oct 9, 2021
125
254
Where can I get 4.5% yield for savings in EU? The best I’ve seen is 1.5% and even then it’s strings attached.
 

tonmischa

macrumors regular
Apr 22, 2007
141
185
Where can I get 4.5% yield for savings in EU? The best I’ve seen is 1.5% and even then it’s strings attached.
I'm in Germany. We have "Tagesgeld" (daily Availability) accounts that offer up to 3.5%. If you are a first-time customer you can get up to 4% for the first few months.
 

P-DogNC

macrumors regular
Sep 8, 2016
121
212
North Carolina
These are delusional numbers. Are you suggesting inflation under Trump was higher than under Biden??
Sorry, my bad. The inflation rate under tr*mp did not peak at 14.8%. The was the unemployment rate, which is now only 3.4%. Hard, verified, official, empirical statistics and facts from legitimate sources show this. Super high unemployment AND a super sharp recession. My retirement account still has the scars from early 2020.
 
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AppleFan735

macrumors regular
Oct 9, 2021
125
254
I'm in Germany. We have "Tagesgeld" (daily Availability) accounts that offer up to 3.5%. If you are a first-time customer you can get up to 4% for the first few months.
Do you know if there's a cap and if there are any alternatives like this in NL?
 

gregmac19

macrumors regular
Jul 28, 2016
199
146
Sorry, my bad. The inflation rate under tr*mp did not peak at 14.8%. The was the unemployment rate, which is now only 3.4%. Hard, verified, official, empirical statistics and facts from legitimate sources show this. Super high unemployment AND a super sharp recession. My retirement account still has the scars from early 2020.
Excepting the spike in 2020, the unemployment rate was never really a problem during the Trump administration. Actually, the rate dropped throughout his term to a low of 3.5% in February of 2020. The rate spiked because people other than Trump decided to shut down the economy.

If your retirement account still has scars from early 2020, then it is because you mismanaged your money: the Stock Market quickly recovered its losses and has since risen significantly.
 
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CPmav

macrumors member
Sep 11, 2013
61
183
Lexington, KY
Makes no difference you can take money out no matter how high the interest rate goes. Deposit at your own risk has been my experience.

If you’re having difficulties taking money out, you’re probably triggering AML rules. Stop doing shady stuff.
 

Christopher Kim

macrumors 6502a
Nov 18, 2016
704
665
Inflation rate used by economists is very different from consumer prices. What we pay for everyday essentials such as food, housing, energy (heating/cooling), and transportation has gone up and continues go up at a faster rate than in the past. For middle class Americans, consumer prices have risen to a higher percentage of their net income after taxes. I'm happy with the Apple Savings account because it is very easy to add money, and take out, providing a good rate of return.
Inflation is cumulative. The inflation rate since 2021 is 16.9%.
You're both right. At the end of the day, while the "rate of inflation" has come back down to "closer to normal" levels (from a economics standpoint), the damage has been done so to speak. Prices are up meaningfully from a few years ago - the fact that those prices aren't growing as high as they used to, still hurts. And is different than if prices were to go back down, closer to what they were pre-COVID. (While for some items, eg. eggs, prices are down, in the aggregate, overall we're still up a bit / flat).

We are where we are.
 
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