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Apple stopped the process of people using Apple Cards to buy phones without a carrier back on August 15th last month, if that's what you're referring to. They now have to go through a active subscription with one of the big three carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon) & not with a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator).

Apple Card iPhone Financing Now Requires an Active Mobile Plan.

Apple to discontinue Apple Card financing for iPhones bought without a carrier connection.

It also doesn't apply to people outside of the U.S. because the Apple Card doesn't exist for them.


Yeah. I can get a phone financed at "0%" with Affirm through Visible's website, but I'd rather have used my Apple Card at their store and get the 3% cash back. I'll probably just buy it outright instead, but it's strange to see them push me away from the online Apple Store.
 
Apple stopped the process of people using Apple Cards to buy phones without a carrier back on August 15th last month, if that's what you're referring to. They now have to go through a active subscription with one of the big three carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon) & not with a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator).

Apple Card iPhone Financing Now Requires an Active Mobile Plan.

Apple to discontinue Apple Card financing for iPhones bought without a carrier connection.

It also doesn't apply to people outside of the U.S. because the Apple Card doesn't exist for them.


Well that sucks. Upside it saves my Apple Card for a Mac Studio/Mac Pro then.

Thanks for the heads up. Not leaving Tracfone.
 
Rumours abound are that the 128GB will still be base with the price increase......
 
The cost of doing business in Europe is pretty high.

I am a developer and have to exclude releasing my stuff in EU territories becuase of GPDR and other regulatory stuff. The cost is too high, and I'm not about to be opening Irish shell companies to protect myself. I don't have any of those issues in the US.

I can only imagine what a company as big as Apple has to deal with or pay in order to sell to you guys.
We have much better consumer protection here in the UK and the rest of Europe compared to the US, so of course there is more regulations that manufacturers have to meet. GDPR is a very positive measure and if that is a problem for you as a developer, that suggests the personal data you are using is not done in a transparent way with the person it belongs to. If that puts you off selling within the EU and Europe, that has to be a good thing for us.

Apple need to trade within Europe more than we need Apple products, so they are inclined to follow the correct fair protocols that come with this.
 
GDPR is a very positive measure and if that is a problem for you as a developer, that suggests the personal data you are using is not done in a transparent way with the person it belongs to. If that puts you off selling within the EU and Europe, that has to be a good thing for us.
You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

It's not only about transparency. The EU dictates how I can transmit or store data, and it all has to be traceable, opens me to audits and a 2% fine (up to $10m) at any time if I make even an honest misstep.

To service your region, I'd have to:
  1. set up a shell company and hire a service/DPO to represent me over there
  2. form data protection agreements with the vendors I use (AWS)
  3. eat any expense to ward off regulators, even if I'm not doing absolutely nothing wrong
... all so that I can offer accounts for basic personalization, as well as interactive features. I don't have time to deal with that as an indie developer.

Enjoy paying hundreds more for your iPhones and Macs. I'll continue to laugh at the EU's pathetic nanny-state policies, failure to emulate the US Federal Government and the time Brussels couldn't keep the UK in its fold. 🤣*
 
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Enjoy paying hundreds more for your iPhones and Macs. I'll continue to laugh at the EU's pathetic nanny-state policies, failure to emulate the US Federal Government and the time Brussels couldn't keep the UK in its fold.
I don’t live in the EU.

If iPhones and Macs cost hundreds more, ultimately less people buy them anyway. Apple are the loser there, not those that live in the EU.
 
You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

It's not only about transparency. The EU dictates how I can transmit or store data, and it all has to be traceable, opens me to audits and a 2% fine (up to $10m) at any time if I make even an honest misstep.

To service your region, I'd have to:
  1. set up a shell company and hire a service/DPO to represent me over there
  2. form data protection agreements with the vendors I use (AWS)
  3. eat any expense to ward off regulators, even if I'm not doing absolutely nothing wrong
... all so that I can offer accounts for basic personalization, as well as interactive features. I don't have time to deal with that as an indie developer.

Enjoy paying hundreds more for your iPhones and Macs. I'll continue to laugh at the EU's pathetic nanny-state policies, failure to emulate the US Federal Government and the time Brussels couldn't keep the UK in its fold. 🤣*
Wow, if what you say is true is why I can’t stand career politicians who make policy that have never lived in the real world.
 
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Wow, if what you say is true is why I can’t stand career politicians who make policy that have never lived in the real world.
Sadly it is. I hired an attorney to help me figure it out, and basically the conclusion we came to is that it doesn't make sense for me to expand outside of the US right now. Sucks, becuase I'd love to.
 
I guess common sense wins here.


You can't jack up the price without hurting your sales when you think spending is starting to trend down.
 
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