Apple Card to launch in first half of August

AppleInsider

Sources say Apple Card is still on schedule to be released in the summer, only just keeping it within Apple's stated launch timeframe.

Apple Card is launching soon

Apple and financial partner Goldman Sachs are expected to launch the new Apple Card in the US within the first half of August. If correct, that means the launch would be in the next two to three weeks. While this puts the release at the end of Apple's stated 'summer' timeframe, sources say the timing is on schedule.

According to Bloomberg, an unnamed single source familiar with both Apple and Goldman Sachs, has told the publication of these plans.

The release earlier this week of iOS 12.4 laid the groundwork for iPhones and iPads to be able to work with Apple Card.

At launch, US customers are expected to be able to first apply for an Apple Card via the Wallet app on their iOS device, and then to use that for payments.

When it arrives, Apple Card will provide daily cash rewards, and many systems for helping you manage your money.

beowulfschmidt

Even without this announcement, I was virtually certain that it would launch before Apple's September event.  They'll want it available for people to use on new products.  

GeorgeBMac

I'll bite....   The standard 2% from ApplePay will be nice, but not a panacea as I'm getting 1.5% now.   For the rest of the benefits...   Meh...   I manage my finances using Quicken far better and far tighter than anything the AppleCard will provide -- so I will likely just ignore those other servies/benefits.

My plan is:  I will downgrade my main Chase card to paying recurring charges which will put my underperforming PNC card into retirement (I won't close it out however).  I'll use my Discover Card (which has a really nice benefit of ID Theft protection) for things like PayPal and also take advantage of its quarterly 5% cash back offers.   And the Apple card will become my main card -- of which 90-95% will flow through ApplePay.

I'll give it a go and see how it flies....

GeorgeBMac

A question on the cash back thingee:   I understand you can have that applied daily.  But can you let it accumulate like other cards?   I kind of like the latter:   For instance I just used my cash back from my Discover card to pay for most of the cost of new 128Gb Xr iPhone for my grandson.   That's a nice way to do it.

GeorgeBMac

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

larryjw

Just this morning (1:45 a.m.) I received a fraud alert for an attempted transaction using my MasterCard debit card. Give credit to my bank for flagging this attempt. Nice catch.

I have my physical card so some one of a handful of businesses compromised my debit card or had their database of debit/credit card transactions hacked -- again. This is not the first time one of my accounts of been hacked. Could this hack have been part of the Equifax breach? 

I'll get the Apple Card -- of course. Will the Apple Card (Apple/Chase) prevent fraudulent transactions better or as well? 

StrangeDays

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

You can Apple Pay Cash him a balance to use from his AP virtual card.

Folio

With more cards in Wallet app, it'd be great if Siri would present the right one before you transact, based on location and habit. At Whole Foods, I prefer to use Amazon Prime Visa. But if distracted at checkout, sometimes I don't flip to their card. Most times it'll probably be Applecard now, over current Discover default.

iOS_Guy80

StrangeDays said:

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

You can Apple Pay Cash him a balance to use from his AP virtual card.

I tried doing that when the Apple Pay Cash first came out and was told by Apple Care and the issuing bank (Green Dot) that when you sign up it asks for a SS number and you had to be at least 18. Maybe that policy has changed?

zroger73

larryjw said:

Just this morning (1:45 a.m.) I received a fraud alert for an attempted transaction using my MasterCard debit card. Give credit to my bank for flagging this attempt. Nice catch.

I have my physical card so some one of a handful of businesses compromised my debit card or had their database of debit/credit card transactions hacked -- again. This is not the first time one of my accounts of been hacked. Could this hack have been part of the Equifax breach? 

I'll get the Apple Card -- of course. Will the Apple Card (Apple/Chase) prevent fraudulent transactions better or as well? 

I don't worry too much about fraudulent charges (attempted or successful) because I know I'm not liable for them. However, it's still an inconvenience because I have to call or log on to a half-dozen places to update my credit card information after receiving a replacement card. Some of them such as my insurance and internet companies force the next payment to be manual before the updated credit card becomes effective (stupid, unnecessary, harassing requirement IMO).

I seem to get fraudulent charges about once every two years despite always being in possession of my physical card and never using it at "questionable" merchants (i.e., Chinese sellers, porn sites, etc.). The most recent was a couple of weeks ago someone in France (where I've never been) charged about $600 worth of concert tickets.

An Apple Card won't benefit me because the majority of my purchase dollars are made with the physical card which only pays 1% cash back. My bank's CC gives me 2% on all purchases all the time. I don't spend enough money with Apple for the extra 1% on Apple purchases to justify opening another account.

Soli

StrangeDays said:

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

You can Apple Pay Cash him a balance to use from his AP virtual card.

That works until he needs a physical card, but I wonder if he could do a two-step with a bank account with a debit card. You send Apple Cash (formerly Apple Pay Cash) and then he can use that with Apple Pay or transfer to his bank to use with my debit card.

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

A quick google search seems to show several options for pre-paid debit cards that work with Apple Pay. No idea if the ones listed are rechargeable cards.

brertech

“Apple and financial partner Goldman Sachs are expected to launch the new Apple Card in the US within the first half of August. If correct, that means the launch would be in the next two to three weeks. While this puts the release at the end of Apple's stated 'summer' timeframe, sources say the timing is on schedule.”

Allow me to be the pedant who points out that, because summer is June 21 until September 23, this release would be right in the middle of summer.

gutengel

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

That has existed for 2 years already...

zimmie

GeorgeBMac said:

A question on the cash back thingee:   I understand you can have that applied daily.  But can you let it accumulate like other cards?   I kind of like the latter:   For instance I just used my cash back from my Discover card to pay for most of the cost of new 128Gb Xr iPhone for my grandson.   That's a nice way to do it.

The way Apple has described it, the cash back gets put into your Apple Cash card in Wallet. It's a bank account with Green Dot. It can accumulate as long as you want, and can be used via Apple Pay, or can be transferred to another bank and withdrawn as cash.

As for the reloadable prepaid debit card option, I doubt any are available. You may want to look at banks which offer UGMA accounts. Those are sort of what you're asking about, but for stocks and other capital investments. If there's a separate debit equivalent, they might know more about it.

anantksundaram

I know I've said this before, but I'll repeat: make it contactless, Apple!

That has become mainstream in many parts of the world, and is starting to get rolled out in a big way in the US -- e.g., Capital One, Chase, Amex etc. are now offering it.

GeorgeBMac

StrangeDays said:

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

You can Apple Pay Cash him a balance to use from his AP virtual card.

What is an "AP virtual card"?   I don't know what that is...

My impression is that without a credit or debit card you can't have an ApplePay account and, without an ApplePay account you can't receive ApplePay Cash.  What am I missing there?

GeorgeBMac

zroger73 said:

larryjw said:

Just this morning (1:45 a.m.) I received a fraud alert for an attempted transaction using my MasterCard debit card. Give credit to my bank for flagging this attempt. Nice catch.

I have my physical card so some one of a handful of businesses compromised my debit card or had their database of debit/credit card transactions hacked -- again. This is not the first time one of my accounts of been hacked. Could this hack have been part of the Equifax breach? 

I'll get the Apple Card -- of course. Will the Apple Card (Apple/Chase) prevent fraudulent transactions better or as well? 

I don't worry too much about fraudulent charges (attempted or successful) because I know I'm not liable for them. However, it's still an inconvenience because I have to call or log on to a half-dozen places to update my credit card information after receiving a replacement card. Some of them such as my insurance and internet companies force the next payment to be manual before the updated credit card becomes effective (stupid, unnecessary, harassing requirement IMO).

I seem to get fraudulent charges about once every two years despite always being in possession of my physical card and never using it at "questionable" merchants (i.e., Chinese sellers, porn sites, etc.). The most recent was a couple of weeks ago someone in France (where I've never been) charged about $600 worth of concert tickets.

An Apple Card won't benefit me because the majority of my purchase dollars are made with the physical card which only pays 1% cash back. My bank's CC gives me 2% on all purchases all the time. I don't spend enough money with Apple for the extra 1% on Apple purchases to justify opening another account.

You are only not liable for them IF the bank decides that it was a fraudulent charge.
And, since this guy was using a debit card, his cash would be gone until or unless the bank decided the charge was fraudulent.

GeorgeBMac

Soli said:

StrangeDays said:

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

You can Apple Pay Cash him a balance to use from his AP virtual card.

That works until he needs a physical card, but I wonder if he could do a two-step with a bank account with a debit card. You send Apple Cash (formerly Apple Pay Cash) and then he can use that with Apple Pay or transfer to his bank to use with my debit card.

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

A quick google search seems to show several options for pre-paid debit cards that work with Apple Pay. No idea if the ones listed are rechargeable cards.

He does have bank account which means that he has a debit card (or access to one).  But his mom is very protective of that account and won't let him touch it -- so I can't go that route.

I have thought about getting him a prepaid card, but most of them seem to come with charges attached.   But Starbuck's (surprisingly) seems to offer a nice one without fees that I could probably reload from my iPhone.  But I doubt that it would work with Apple Pay since it requires a bank to authorize it and I don't want to just hand him a card to use like a gift card (although I realize that there isn't much functional difference between using a card and ApplePay).  But that might be my best bet -- I need to investigate that further.

StrangeDays

iOS_Guy80 said:

StrangeDays said:

GeorgeBMac said:

Here's something I would like to see from Apple:   A prepaid debit card that can be used for ApplePay.   I would very much like to open up ApplePay for my 12 year old grandson but hesitate to give him an open ended credit card.   A prepaid debit card could fill that bill well -- where I could fund it in various ways:  Transfer my cashback rewards to it, as a monthly allowance, or even as rewards for good grades, etc....

You can Apple Pay Cash him a balance to use from his AP virtual card.

I tried doing that when the Apple Pay Cash first came out and was told by Apple Care and the issuing bank (Green Dot) that when you sign up it asks for a SS number and you had to be at least 18. Maybe that policy has changed?

Children I don't know about. But just in general you can fill a purely AP virtual card to use at Apple Pay terminals.

GeorgeBMac

larryjw said:

Just this morning (1:45 a.m.) I received a fraud alert for an attempted transaction using my MasterCard debit card. Give credit to my bank for flagging this attempt. Nice catch.

I have my physical card so some one of a handful of businesses compromised my debit card or had their database of debit/credit card transactions hacked -- again. This is not the first time one of my accounts of been hacked. Could this hack have been part of the Equifax breach? 

I'll get the Apple Card -- of course. Will the Apple Card (Apple/Chase) prevent fraudulent transactions better or as well? 

I would suggest you turn "alerts" on for your card where it sends you a text whenever any charge (or one over certain amount) is made on your card.   Most card companies send those texts within a few seconds of the charge being made -- so you know almost instantly that it was fraudulent and can report it immediately.   I've caught two fraudulent charges that way.   The last was just as I was getting into my car after grocery shopping a charge came through from a gas station for $25.  I immediately called the company and was told that the charge had been made in a gas station 300 miles away and they would investigate and remove the charge if they decided it was fraudulent.  I suspect that they stick to small amounts because they will tend to go unnoticed by most people -- so they can continue using the card.

riverko

anantksundaram said:

I know I've said this before, but I'll repeat: make it contactless, Apple!

That has become mainstream in many parts of the world, and is starting to get rolled out in a big way in the US -- e.g., Capital One, Chase, Amex etc. are now offering it.

I always thought Apple Pay is contactless...