Recent Hints Point Toward Apple Card International Expansion

[MacRumors]

Over a year after its U.S. launch, MacRumors has uncovered a range of evidence to suggest that Apple Card may soon be launching internationally.

A source claiming to be close to an unnamed Australian banking corporation involved in supporting ‌Apple Card‌ in Australia tells MacRumors that Apple Card will be launching in multiple new regions as soon as the end of this year. The tip speculated that the Australian release may coincide with the release of iOS 14.1 or iOS 14.2, but cautioned that it might not be ready until an iOS 14.3 release in early 2021.

In addition, Apple has recently advertised for several new Apple Card Product Manager roles that involve travel and "working with external partners such as payment networks, bank issuers and other players." In the U.S., Goldman Sachs is Apple Card's only bank issuer. The job description may suggest that Apple is setting about negotiation with other issuers within the U.S., or more likely, issuers to support Apple Card in other regions around the world.

MacRumors has also discovered references to GDPR for Apple Card in iOS 14 Beta 8 code. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy. As Apple Card is not currently available outside of the U.S., it seems curious that there is code potentially referring to European privacy legislation for Apple Card.

The code, found in a property list, also seems to have been present in some previous versions of iOS. It is unclear if the code is specifically referring to General Data Protection Regulation, or is an abbreviation for something else.

With an Apple event on Tuesday, Apple may be preparing to announce an international expansion of Apple Card imminently. Alternately, Apple could announce the international launch alongside new iPhones at a rumored October event.

Considering the extent to which credit markets and regulation varies around the world, it would be a tall order for Apple to release Apple Card in multiple new regions simultaneously. However, following the success of Apple Card in the U.S., it would make sense for Apple to expand into international markets. It is possible that Apple could announce a broad international expansion on Tuesday, before gradually completing launches at a much slower pace in other regions as they become ready.

While visiting Germany last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed his interest in launching Apple Card internationally. Last month, Samsung launched Samsung Pay Card in the UK, in an effort to establish a foothold in the region before Apple does.

Article Link: Recent Hints Point Toward Apple Card International Expansion

 

[BF1M]

Give us authorized users!

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

This is great news. Expansion is always good. Going global.

 

[SaxPlayer]

Sounds interesting. I haven't paid much attention to how it works and it may very well be different from the US in other territories, however if they launch in the UK I'll be checking it out. I always pay cards off and never keep any outstanding balance, however if they do some kind of cash back or other incentives then it might be a useful addition to the [virtual] wallet.

 

[ViDeOmAnCiNi]

Give us authorized users!

THIS! This should be of the highest priority!

 

[iLilana]

Give us authorized users!

what is that?

 

[jlocker]

Love my Apple Card has for a year

 

[djcerla]

A credit card is so last century. Apple Watch, click-click, boom, paid.

 

[HeavenDynamic]

I'm hoping for a launch in France. Still curious how they'll adapt the service to debit cards.

 

[Morgenland]

Perfect!
Cash, Debit, Banks, Wallet, Googles Card agents: Museum.
Life can be easy, thank you Apple!
This demonstrates Apple strenght. And it is good that Apple is stronger than the consortium of the banks in the world.
It was not 'bank's competition' that increased innovation or has set consumer-oriented realignment over the last decade.
I am one of the first to cry out when market concentration runs against the consumer, which is not the case here IMO.

 

[zorinlynx]

I really freaking wish that Apple would increase the rewards, though. They're just not competitive with my other cards.

The 1% on physical card and number transactions means I don't even bother carrying the titanium card with me at all. It's a shame that they came up with such a cool physical card with little point in using it; I might as well use my Chase Freedom card and get 1.5%. I switched Amazon to the Apple Card to test the number and yep, only getting 1%. Going to switch it back to Chase.

Both the Chase and BoA cards offer 3% on dining. No point ever paying for a restaurant order with the Apple Card.

Ideally it should be:

1.5 or even 2% on physical card/number transactions
3% on Apple Pay transactions. All of them, not just selected merchants.

Then i would use it a whole lot more.

 

[alexandr]

A credit card is so last century. Apple Watch, click-click, boom, paid.

the physical card is not the point...

 

[FellaMeLad]

Oooooh! I've been looking forward to getting this in the UK!!! Will probably use it for my next iPhone if we get similar perks to US users.

 

[ddarko]

MacRumors has also discovered references to GDPR for Apple Card in iOS 14 Beta 8 code. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy. As Apple Card is not currently available outside of the U.S., it seems curious that there is code potentially referring to European privacy legislation for Apple Card.

The code, found in a property list, also seems to have been present in some previous versions of iOS. It is unclear if the code is specifically referring to General Data Protection Regulation, or is an abbreviation for something else.

I think this has a much more mundane explanation: Apple Card works in Europe so transactions processed in the EU would be covered by the GDPR. The other things are better pieces of evidence of Apple Card launching outside the USA.

 

[Totalkharnage]

Been waiting for this for a while. Not sure if I’ll use it too much as usually Only use credit cards for big purchasers but be good to have the physical carD

 

[lanegandy]

A credit card is so last century. Apple Watch, click-click, boom, paid.

The Apple Card is on your watch and it incentives using contactless payments. The physical card is just for backup.

 

[otternonsense]

A credit card is so last century. Apple Watch, click-click, boom, paid.

My friend, for once we agree on something!
[automerge]1599842719[/automerge]

The Apple Card is on your watch and it incentives using contactless payments. The physical card is just for backup.

Good luck getting any incentives with European banks. It's all about the posh physical card that scratches when it touches pockets and needs a special cloth.

 

[ruka.snow]

Already have all my cards contactless on my watch with Apple Pay. The Apple Card will need to be on a cracker of a interest rate to be interesting. Hopefully no gimmicks, we aren't fond of nonsense like cash back and 'free' coffee when you spend.

 

[JSRinUK]

Sounds interesting. I haven't paid much attention to how it works and it may very well be different from the US in other territories, however if they launch in the UK I'll be checking it out. I always pay cards off and never keep any outstanding balance, however if they do some kind of cash back or other incentives then it might be a useful addition to the [virtual] wallet.

Likewise. I've not paid much attention to it, because it seemed unlikely to reach the UK any time soon.

But if it is to launch here, I'll certainly be interested in looking into it.

 

[Jarman74]

Apple Cash too while you are at it, please.

 

[bb9]

Over a year after its U.S. launch, MacRumors has uncovered a range of evidence to suggest that Apple Card may soon be launching internationally.

A source claiming to be close to an unnamed Australian banking corporation involved in supporting ‌Apple Card‌ in Australia tells MacRumors that Apple Card will be launching in multiple new regions as soon as the end of this year. The tip speculated that the Australian release may coincide with the release of iOS 14.1 or iOS 14.2, but cautioned that it might not be ready until an iOS 14.3 release in early 2021.

In addition, Apple has recently advertised for several new Apple Card Product Manager roles that involve travel and "working with external partners such as payment networks, bank issuers and other players." In the U.S., Goldman Sachs is Apple Card's only bank issuer. The job description may suggest that Apple is setting about negotiation with other issuers within the U.S., or more likely, issuers to support Apple Card in other regions around the world.

MacRumors has also discovered references to GDPR for Apple Card in iOS 14 Beta 8 code. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy. As Apple Card is not currently available outside of the U.S., it seems curious that there is code potentially referring to European privacy legislation for Apple Card.

The code, found in a property list, also seems to have been present in some previous versions of iOS. It is unclear if the code is specifically referring to General Data Protection Regulation, or is an abbreviation for something else.

With an Apple event on Tuesday, Apple may be preparing to announce an international expansion of Apple Card imminently. Alternately, Apple could announce the international launch alongside new iPhones at a rumored October event.

Considering the extent to which credit markets and regulation varies around the world, it would be a tall order for Apple to release Apple Card in multiple new regions simultaneously. However, following the success of Apple Card in the U.S., it would make sense for Apple to expand into international markets. It is possible that Apple could announce a broad international expansion on Tuesday, before gradually completing launches at a much slower pace in other regions as they become ready.

While visiting Germany last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed his interest in launching Apple Card internationally. Last month, Samsung launched Samsung Pay Card in the UK, in an effort to establish a foothold in the region before Apple does.

Article Link: Recent Hints Point Toward Apple Card International Expansion

That would be nice.

 

[itsmilo]

I have never seen incentives paying with credit cards anywhere in Europe besides your purchases being covered for an extended period. If anything, you get charged a fee for paying with credit card ? Curious how that would work. All this cash back stuff seems to be huge and a big reason for that great adoption of having multiple cards in the US I suppose

 

[scartart]

Oooooh! I've been looking forward to getting this in the UK!!! Will probably use it for my next iPhone if we get similar perks to US users.

We won't because the merchant charges aren't as high so there is less to give back. Best UK cash back cards are around 1% in the UK, 2 to 5% tiers in the US.

 

[mariusfanu]

I hope they'll launch in the UK ?

 

[iGeek2019]

I have never seen incentives paying with credit cards anywhere in Europe besides your purchases being covered for an extended period. If anything, you get charged a fee for paying with credit card ? Curious how that would work. All this cash back stuff seems to be huge and a big reason for that great adoption of having multiple cards in the US I suppose

A few years ago and there used to be several great incentives for holding a credit card and using it for your everyday spending (assuming you paid it off in full monthly) and quite a few had no annual fees.

Then the caps came on Interchange Fees and like dominoes they fell one by one (certainly in the U.K.) and the ‘no annual fee’ ones eg Barclaycard offer 0.25% on their Rewards card.