Saturday 22 / June / 2024
Apple announced the launch of an innovative credit card and TV streaming platform among other new services at a keynote event in California.
The Apple Card credit card will launch this summer, the company confirmed.
According to the American tech giant, there are no fees associated with Apple Card: no annual, late, international or over-the-limit fees. Customers who miss a payment will not be charged a penalty rate. Additionally, the company stated that it was aiming for the Apple Card's interest rates to be among the lowest in the industry.
Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay, stated, “Apple Card builds on the tremendous success of Apple Pay and delivers new experiences only possible with the power of iPhone."
“Apple Card is designed to help customers lead a healthier financial life, which starts with a better understanding of their spending so they can make smarter choices with their money, transparency to help them understand how much it will cost if they want to pay over time and ways to help them pay down their balance,” she added.
Customers will receive a percentage of every Apple Card purchase amount back as 'Daily Cash'. Daily Cash is added to customers’ Apple Cash card each day and can be used for purchases using Apple Pay, toward their Apple Card balance or to send to friends and family in Messages.
Every time a customer uses Apple Card with Apple Pay, they will receive 2 percent Daily Cash. Customers will also get 3 percent Daily Cash on all purchases made directly with Apple, including at Apple Stores, on the App Store and for Apple services, the company confirmed.
Apple said the credit card will use machine learning and Apple Maps to clearly label transactions with merchant names and locations. Purchases are automatically totalled and organised by colour-coded categories. The company is also partnering with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard to provide the support of an issuing bank and global payments network. A physical Apple Card made of Titanium will also be offered.
The company's entertainment options are also set to expand significantly with the company's original video subscription, which has been dubbed 'Apple TV+'.
The streaming platform will include new programming from some of the world's best storytellers and personalities including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Octavia Spencer, J.J. Abrams, Jason Momoa, M. Night Shyamalan, Jon M. Chu and more.
Apple TV+, the company's video subscription service, will be coming this fall.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, "We’re honoured that the absolute best lineup of storytellers in the world — both in front of and behind the camera — are coming to Apple TV+.”
“We’re thrilled to give viewers a sneak peek of Apple TV+ and cannot wait for them to tune in starting this fall. Apple TV+ will be home to some of the highest quality original storytelling that TV and movie lovers have seen yet.”
At the event, the Apple TV app and Apple TV channels were also debuted, both of which will be coming to customers in May 2019.
The app brings together different ways to discover and watch shows, movies, sports, and news on one app across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, smart TVs and streaming devices.
Beginning in May, customers can subscribe to Apple TV channels and watch them in the Apple TV app, with no additional apps, accounts or passwords required. Apple TV channels include HBO, Starz, SHOWTIME, CBS All Access, and the Smithsonian Channel.
Newstand
Apple also released a newstand that provides access to over 300 popular magazines and newspapers on the Apple News App.
“We’re committed to supporting quality journalism, and with Apple News+, we want to celebrate the great work being done by magazines and news outlets,” said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News. “We think the breadth and quality of publications within Apple News+ will encourage more people to discover stories and titles they may never have come across before.”
Users will be able to access past and current issues of popular publications such as National Geographic, The Atlantic, Condé Nast Traveller, Entertainment Weekly, and Rolling Stone among many others.
Gaming Service
Apple Arcade, a new gaming platform, will provide subscribers will over 100 new and exclusive games including original releases from renowned creators Hironobu Sakaguchi, Ken Wong, Will Wright and dozens more. The platform will launch in fall 2019 in more than 150 countries.
Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said, "The App Store is the world’s biggest and most successful game platform. Now we are going to take games even further with Apple Arcade, the first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room.
"We are working with some of the most innovative game developers in the world to create over 100 new and exclusive games to play across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. Apple Arcade games will be great for families, respect user privacy and will not have ads or require any additional purchases. We think players of all ages are going to love Apple Arcade."
