Five Useful iOS Features Still Unavailable to International Users

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

Sadly, the digital drivers license will probably never come to Germany. "Digitalisation who?"

The other day I lost my license, it took me over a month to finally get an appointment for ANOTHER month from that day and then another 5 weeks for the new license to arrive. I am actually surprised they send it. For the passport you need ANOTHER appointment to pick it up.

Oh and the police from Berlin could not even access that I have a valid drivers license because I did not make my license in Berlin

It's really mad going to Berlin – the hipster capital of Europe! – and finding it stuck in about 2006 in terms of digitalisation. So many places don't even take card payments, nevermind Apple Pay. You expect Germany to be one of the leading places for this kind of thing but compared with the UK it's somehow miles behind.

Miles and miles in front on most other things, sure...

 

[contacos]

It's really mad going to Berlin – the hipster capital of Europe! – and finding it stuck in about 2006 in terms of digitalisation. So many places don't even take card payments, nevermind Apple Pay. You expect Germany to be one of the leading places for this kind of thing but compared with the UK it's somehow miles behind.

Miles and miles in front on most other things, sure...

This part got much better with the pandemic, even the local bakery in my parents 1k town takes credit cards now but "Spätis" and "Döner / Food Stands" usually don't take credit cards and I am sure this has other reasons 👀

 

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

This part got much better with the pandemic, even the local bakery in my parents 1k town takes credit cards now but "Spätis" and "Döner / Food Stands" usually don't take credit cards and I am sure this has other reasons 👀

Lots of bars are still cash only as well. I can understand the spätis and food kiosks to an extent but to run a bar that's open late at night when people are likely to have run out of cash, and only accept cash, seems a bit mad. In the UK and Ireland it's just not even a consideration any more, everywhere takes contactless payments and when they don't, like you say, you assume it's because there's something else going on.

 

[kyjaotkb]

Apple Cash is probably very useful in the US (like Venmo) but it's not urgently needed in Europe, where peer-to-peer payments via bank account number are instant, free, interoperable between banks and already heavily used by the population. Apple Card is also probably less desirable here too, because credit card usage remains low - people in Europe tend to use debit cards a lot more.

 

[foobarbaz]

It's probably not easy for Apple to roll out the financial services in places like Europe, Asia etc as each individual country will have it's own regulations etc.

Sure, but it's not like they deal with the US's regulations themselves. They let Goldman Sachs do that work. And Europe, for example, has man co-branding options as well as bank-as-a-service providers.

So it's not about regulations, but about finding a local partner that's willing to work on Apple's terms.

Either, they haven't found a single one, or their financial services just haven't been profitable enough to warrant an extension.

 

[fikonhjul]

One especially puzzling omission in the Swedish product mix is Fitness+. Is Apple hesitating because of translation issues? A lot of people all over the world are following tons of English speaking fitness content on YouTube etc. As paying Apple One subscribers we should at least be able to opt in for the English version (also for News, but there might be licensing issues there, in addition).

 

[VampyricGentleman]

Agreed. We seem to be more likely to have it tied to something else. We have Circle-K MasterCards giving 1,5% back on all purchases, and extra discount when filling up petrol. 45 days credit for free as well.

And let’s face it not everywhere accepts Master Card

We have plenty of rewar cards; it's just that the rewards are pitiful (usually 0.5%). Can't see too many people rushing to take out a new credit card with that kind of payback (especially as the kind of person that would do it likely already has a rewards card). Also, Apple Pay use in the UK seems pretty high already.

In comparison to friends in the USA we have very few, but I agree the payback rate we will get will not make it worth it taking out

Yeah, anyone waiting for Apple Card in UK or Europe and expecting similar rewards is going to be disappointed - credit card merchant rates etc are much higher in the US, so card issuers can afford to offer bigger cashback-type rewards.

And also more people actually in debt with it so paying far more to cover the costs incurred

 

[jonnysods]

Looking forward to the advanced protection.

Clean energy though - are they talking about those fibreglass windmill blades they have to bury someday because they are horrendous for the environment?

 

[Camerondonal]

While the majority of iOS features are available internationally, there are some that remain exclusive to the United States, such as the Apple Card, Apple Cash, IDs in the Wallet app, Advanced Data Protection, and Clean Energy Charging.

Below, we've provided more details about some iPhone features available in the U.S. only and Apple's future expansion plans if any for the features.

Apple Card

Launched in 2019, the Apple Card remains available in the U.S. only. Apple's credit card can be managed completely through the Wallet app on the iPhone, with a physical version available for use at stores that do not accept contactless payments. The card has no fees beyond interest and offers up to 3% cashback known as Daily Cash.

While there have been clues that the Apple Card might expand to additional countries in the future, such as an Apple Card trademark filing in Canada, Apple has not confirmed any immediate plans to launch the card internationally.

Apple Cash

Apple Cash is a Venmo-like payment feature that allows iPhone users in the U.S. to send, request, and receive money in the Wallet and Messages apps. Users can transfer their Apple Cash balance to a connected bank account.

Apple Cash remains available in the U.S. only and despite clues like a trademark filing in Canada, it is unclear if the feature will expand to other countries.

IDs in Wallet App

In early 2022, Apple started rolling out a feature allowing residents of participating U.S. states to add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age. The features requires iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.4 or later and is currently available in Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland only, with at least nine more states to follow.

Apple said it was working to offer the ID feature across the U.S. in the future, but the company has yet to announce any plans to expand the feature to other countries, so it's unclear if or when the feature will launch internationally.

Advanced Data Protection

Apple last month introduced an optional Advanced Data Protection feature that expands end-to-end encryption to many additional areas of iCloud when enabled, including iCloud Backups, Photos, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos, and more. On the iPhone, the feature was introduced with iOS 16.2 for users in the U.S. only and will start rolling out to the "rest of the world" in early 2023, according to Apple.

It's unclear exactly when Advanced Data Protection will be available in additional countries, but given Apple's early 2023 timeframe, it's possible that the feature will be expanded to more iPhone users with iOS 16.3 or iOS 16.4.

Clean Energy Charging

iOS 16.1 introduced a Clean Energy Charging feature that "aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources," according to Apple. When the feature is toggled on, the iPhone will attempt to charge when "lower carbon emission electricity" is available.

Clean Energy Charging is available in the U.S. only, and Apple has not indicated if or when it will be expanded to additional countries.

Article Link: Five Useful iOS Features Still Unavailable to International Users

Not a bad round-up but you've forgotten one: voicemail transcription. That is still - extraordinarily - US-only, even after all this time

 

[caribbeanblue]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

 

[Frantisekj]

I do not care about any of them. And there is far more features that are not widely available. See:

iOS and iPadOS - Feature Availability

iOS and iPadOS have so many amazing features. Find out which ones are available on iPhone and iPad in your country or region.

www.apple.com

We do not have even predictive typing after 15 years of iOS developement.

And new example is from today news:

AI-Narrated Audiobooks Now Available in Apple Books

Apple has now launched Apple Books digital narration, offering a new way for publishers to automatically generate high-quality AI-narrated audio from...

www.macrumors.com

English only. But say here one can understand, it is new technology.

 

[VulchR]

It's probably not easy for Apple to roll out the financial services in places like Europe, Asia etc as each individual country will have it's own regulations etc.

Unless I am mistaken, the bank regulations are relatively homogenous in the EU.

Anyway, I find it odd that Apple always introduces features in the US first when supposedly all of its research is located in Ireland.

 

[Pimmp]

Apple cash not needed in Sweden, just need a cellphone number.
https://www.swish.nu/about-swish

3 425 396 568 USD sent in Nov-22

 

[Sislik]

One especially puzzling omission in the Swedish product mix is Fitness+. Is Apple hesitating because of translation issues? A lot of people all over the world are following tons of English speaking fitness content on YouTube etc. As paying Apple One subscribers we should at least be able to opt in for the English version (also for News, but there might be licensing issues there, in addition).

Exactly the sam in the Czech Republic... I also don't get it... a lot of people would be fine just with EN version.

Personally I would be also fine it would not be official, so Apple would not have to do support, but they are actively blocking it.

 

[Sinfonist]

I can guarantee that the UK will never see the Apple Card. Reward cards are scarce here at best and last time I looked didn’t offer anything as good as what is on offer with that.

Better rewards were available before the EU fixed the credit card margins. Apple might be able to strike deals with specific merchants as with their US offering? They don't seem to give 2% back on all purchases.

Generally, in the UK you do now have to hunt around/be inventive or be on grand-fathered plans. I'm getting fairly good rewards with a combination of bank account cashback schemes, specific credit cards, rewards schemes and special offers, including from an Apple reseller, but I do sometimes have to jump through hoops.

 

[Squillace]

I'm in Switzerland and couldn't care less about the Apple Card or Cash (except for the cashback part). We have TWINT and it works flawlessly to pay stuff in shops and online, and to send&receive with other people.

But yeah... having to negotiate rules with more than 40 countries is not the same as doing it with one. It's not (entirely) Apple's fault, but that sucks...

 

[tagsaid]

I mean, forget international, the ID in Wallet is barely available in the US. I will only call it available once most states make it available. I have seen beta software be more available than it is.

 

[Isengardtom]

Apple Card - not really interested. I’ve got a credit card I’m happy with (generally speaking Europeans don‘t have the same CC debt levels as Americans anyway - you’ll rarely find someone with 20 k credit card debt)

Apple Cash - here in Belgium we have Payconiq where you can easily pay between people by either creating a QR code and letting the payer scan that or by sending a link through whatsapp, teams, mail … which will open the app if the person paying clicks it

 

[ingik]

I already have my digital driver's license in my wallet here in Iceland.

Digital Driver's License | Ísland.is

A digital driver's license is an innovation useful to any person who has earned the right to drive and owns a smartphone.

island.is

 

[bollman]

Apple cash not needed in Sweden, just need a cellphone number.
https://www.swish.nu/about-swish

3 425 396 568 USD sent in Nov-22

Swish for the win!

 

[Skeptical.me]

I wish we had IDs in the wallet app, Apple financial services, and advanced data protection in Australia

 

[CouldBeWorse]

 

[AppleFan735]

The problem is that Apple sucks at scaling services. Their approach to services is the idea of "hand picked curated playlist" instead of an algorithmic approach that could scale world wide. Don't even get me started on Maps. Look at how good Google is at scaling all their services world wide. Apple with their "hand crafted" approach, as if they're selling Italian leather shoes are just downright annoying. They should embrace a more scalable, algorithmic, ML/AI aproach to things and scale their services world wide much faster.

 

[matthewb1977]

I think the UK Government announced in 2021 that they wanted to start introducing digital driving licences by 2024, starting with provisional (learner) licences and full licences to follow some time after that. I don't think they have announced if it will be integrated on to the apple wallet though.

​

 

[iGeek2014]

I’m not bothered about Apple Card per se but Apple Cash in the UK would be welcomed by myself.

Mind you I believe PayM is being turned off by the banks soon?