Launched in the US back in August 2019, the Apple Card is still not available in Latin America, Europe, or Australia. Nevertheless, the credit card, which offers numerous benefits and is integrated with Apple Pay, could soon reach more countries. It is expected that Apple will make an announcement about its possible expansion at an upcoming event this September.
While there has been no confirmation about the exact date of Apple’s next event, experts speculate that it will take place in September. Apple usually holds around four events per year, with a spring event, a summer event, and two events in the fall months of September and October. Apple has been announcing its latest iPhones at its September events since 2012, with the exception of last year when the company unveiled its iPhone 12 in October.
Apple Card
Releasing the Apple Card in different countries is by no means an easy task, narrates the finance writer for www.MonederoSmart.com. “To make the venture work, Apple would need to partner up with a bank in each Latin American country where it wants to launch the product. In the case of Europe, negotiating a deal with the European Union, rather than individual countries, could accelerate the process,” he clarifies.
So what is all the hype about? Apple Cards come in two forms — a titanium credit card with concealed numbers and an iPhone app. When used to buy a product or service, the card returns 3 percent of the purchase price and 2 percent when you use Apple Pay. The card also comes with a Wallet app to help manage income and spending.
Apple News+
Currently only available in English-speaking countries – including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia – Apple News + is a subscription service that lets users access content from various magazines, newspapers, and other publications. Thus far, it has not been launched in Latin America or Europe. Adapting the platform to Spanish or other languages is not the main reason why the app has not been introduced outside English-speaking countries, however. The move – or rather lack of move – has had more to do with a lack of profitability and lax intellectual property laws in some countries.
At this stage, Apple has not released any statements as to when we can expect Apple News + to make its debut in Latin America or Europe. Those outside the area of operations of Apple News + can still download the English version of the app. They will, however, first have to change the region on their iPhone to one of the four countries where the app is available.
