The finish is very plastic looking. I was expecting it to be metallic. When I opened the package my first impression was that it had a plastic protective film on it. I picked my nail at the corner for a second before I realized that was the finish coating.
This coating appears to be something very special though. If the video is genuine, the card is laser de-bossed after it is coated. It’s unbelievable that the laser does not discolor the coating!
It makes sense to have a coating because raw titanium looks awful. They certainly did not use titanium for the look of it. Actually, if they ruled out using plastic, they had no choice but to use titanium. Titanium is more or less the only metal that could be relied on to stay flat and not get bent out of shape during everyday use.
So odd that Apple chose titanium when they had the experience of the original titanium PowerBook, which didn’t wear well with discoloration.
Titanium is the only metal that can be relied on to stay flat. This is because it has a very high yield strength and does not suffer plastic (permanent) deformation when other metals do.
Titanium does not look good without some kind of coating. The color of raw titanium is very uneven, brownish and has tough dirty looking oxides.
The PowerBook was a big problem because of the way oils from a users skins discolored the finish.
For the card Apple decided to paint the titanium white.
I can’t wait to see what kind of coating they are using on the upcoming titanium Apple Watch. It’s a solved problem in the watch industry. The finishes used on premium watches are likely way too expensive for use on a credit card.
At the end of the day if Apple Card starts looking really scratched up or dirty - just tap the “Request Replacement Card” button.
So typically Apple, design something pretty that looks like shit within a week unless you keep it in a protective case!
I fondly remember putting a giant see through sticker/laminate on my PowerBook G4 Titanium to protect it. Made of the same materials as fighter jets they said, scratches easily and looks crap if you don’t buy a protector was not something they mentioned. Looks like they didn’t learn their lesson the last time.
Sorry, Apple. I use a leather wallet (though only the edges and exteriors of the card sleeves are leather). More to the point I don't want to use a card that would enhance the revenues of a company that admitted in federal court to lying to buyers of its tranched mortgage products in the run-up to the Great Recession. I'm sorry Apple chose them.
"Do I need to use distilled water or is plain tap water okay? What about bottled water?"
"Do I wipe horizontally or vertically?"
"I got a small scratch on my Apple Card. Can I take it to an Apple Store and have it replaced? Will it be a new one or a refurbished card?"
"I'm allergic to titanium. Can I get a ceramic Apple Card instead?"
"What brand laundry detergent should I use to clean my microfiber cloths? Does it need to be unscented?"
The possibilities are mind boggling!
Only Apple branded water and cloths are approved for cleaning your new DigiCard. The water can be purchased at the Apple store for $49.99 an ounce and comes in a beautiful crystal decanter. The new Apple microfiber cleaning cloth with Bluetooth vibrates at precisely the right rate for optimum cleaning of your new Apple DigiCard. The cloth can be charged with a Lightning connector or wirelessly with a new contactless charging pad. The Bluetooth Cleaning Cloth costs $149.99 and the contactless charger costs $49.99. All of these are available with AppleCare +.
Just yesterday I wondered how to clean the card, after the woman at the Wendy's drive-thru handed it back with a big greasy thumbprint on it that would not wipe off. Now I know.
Genuine question: since I visit a drive through food establishment about once a decade, I'm curious if any of them deploy an Apple Pay reader. Anyone do that?
I will never use the physical Apple Card because of its low cash back, so it stays tucked nicely into its original packaging in a locked drawer.
Apple Card is the epitome of fanboyism. There’s nothing special about this card other than the Apple logo, for which too many people get an erection.
You're both right and wrong - there are a lot of people who are excited just because it's an Apple product, but it's also not a bad card. It depends on why and how you use your credit cards, but I'd say it's in the top third to quarter of cards. Interest rates are reasonable, but shouldn't matter. The no fees policy is unheard of. The cash back bonus is certainly better than most.
The security benefits can be achieved with most other standard credit cards; the one unique feature is how it automatically uses virtual account numbers, making it easy to cancel and re-issue them. Others have done this in the past but none with the same level of ease and simplicity.
This is just a feature mirroring the changing colours of your virtual card on your iPhone. But honestly, why didn't design the card with a sandblasted finish like their Macs?
Comments
Apple’s video shows the coating being sprayed on.
The finish is very plastic looking. I was expecting it to be metallic. When I opened the package my first impression was that it had a plastic protective film on it. I picked my nail at the corner for a second before I realized that was the finish coating.
This coating appears to be something very special though. If the video is genuine, the card is laser de-bossed after it is coated. It’s unbelievable that the laser does not discolor the coating!
It makes sense to have a coating because raw titanium looks awful. They certainly did not use titanium for the look of it. Actually, if they ruled out using plastic, they had no choice but to use titanium. Titanium is more or less the only metal that could be relied on to stay flat and not get bent out of shape during everyday use.
Titanium does not look good without some kind of coating. The color of raw titanium is very uneven, brownish and has tough dirty looking oxides.
The PowerBook was a big problem because of the way oils from a users skins discolored the finish.
For the card Apple decided to paint the titanium white.
I can’t wait to see what kind of coating they are using on the upcoming titanium Apple Watch. It’s a solved problem in the watch industry. The finishes used on premium watches are likely way too expensive for use on a credit card.
At the end of the day if Apple Card starts looking really scratched up or dirty - just tap the “Request Replacement Card” button.
I fondly remember putting a giant see through sticker/laminate on my PowerBook G4 Titanium to protect it. Made of the same materials as fighter jets they said, scratches easily and looks crap if you don’t buy a protector was not something they mentioned. Looks like they didn’t learn their lesson the last time.
At the wrong time that can be a problem.
I will never use the physical Apple Card because of its low cash back, so it stays tucked nicely into its original packaging in a locked drawer.
The security benefits can be achieved with most other standard credit cards; the one unique feature is how it automatically uses virtual account numbers, making it easy to cancel and re-issue them. Others have done this in the past but none with the same level of ease and simplicity.