Maybe Apple should just concentrate on its core tech products and get these right rather than flailing out in multiple directions, leather cases, credit cards (really!!??). Last time they tried this Steve came in and culled all the peripheral stuff, laserwriter etc.
Its just not possible to do everything well no matter how big or cash rich you are, doing your niche very well is a far better proposition in my opinion and a lot of mistakes/bugs etc are creeping in at the moment at Apple.
This just strikes me as an accountants attempt to maximise the brand name for short term profits without understanding what the brand actually is or means!
Apple has assiduously been working for years on this payment integration, starting with Apple Pay four years ago, to offer frictionless payments, entirely within its own ecosystem, first by phone, then by watch, now naturally extended to a credit card itself … all offering unique benefits of convenience and privacy that other products don’t have.
Apple is extending the brand first to allow users to improve their physical health, and now their financial health, and I don’t see an accountant’s hand in it.
To me, the expansion of products seems better thought out this time around, the big difference being that executives aren’t fiddling while the company burns. Steve needed to kill good products because anything less than the essentials were going to destroy the company. I’d hope modern Steve would see that Apple needs to defend itself against gigantic software and entertainment networks (Google, Netflix, Facebook, Amazon, Disney) that commodify the hardware they run on, ultimately to users’ detriment.
You can see they are still trying to follow something like their old product quadrant in hardware by (slowly) approaching entry-level, mini and pro in each category (other than screens; c’mon!)
I’m not sure about that. They seem to have high-end, high-priced ‘halo’ desktop pro hardware unintended for mass sales - products very different from the much more affordable portable pro models. And the workhorse MBPs are qualitatively different from iPad Pros.
The low-end Mac mini remains barely mentioned (albeit thankfully updated nicely, finally) and the low-end iPad mini is too barely mentioned (and will be even more of an afterthought when the new 10.2" base iPad with improved specs comes out).
Apple has a sophisticated performance- and spec-based price ladder and they don’t seem to mind some amount, even a large amount, of confusion or conflation of categories.
I very much agree with that. And because Apple is such a large, profitable company, they need to extend products to more categories than the simple consumer/pro mobile/desktop matrix needed when they were good old ‘beleaguered Apple.’ The old Apple would never still be making and selling the iPhone 6; the current Apple does because it sells to virtually all countries around the world, including ones where incomes are so low (eg India) they need to continue to sell that 2014 model.
Even though I still haven’t jumped on the “I got one too” bandwagon with the AC, I DO LIKE the direction Apple is going with this product, (it IS a product mind ya). We all know that the monetary systems of the World are going digital, and for reasons beyond my ability to comprehend, most banking systems are still struggling to get ahead of the curve with that. But, in steps Apple, with fantastic technology, and they take the lead. From my point of view, I had much rather be in the lead, than looking at the rear of a bunch of…
I think, Apple has once again, latched onto something good.
At one time Apple was just a computer company, then came the iPod, which led to iTunes, and the iPhone, and the iPad. Along the way they tried a lot of things that weren’t hits. Remember the iPod HiFi? IPod SOCKS?
Now that iPhone sales have peaked, they are moving into services, credit cards, etc. Why not? Are they taking advantage of their name and reputation? Of course they are.
I’m one that believes that today’s smart phones will eventually become commodities, and most people won’t care who built the computer in their pocket.
What happens to Apple when most people can’t or won’t spend $1000+ for their rounded rectangle, that is functionally identical to much less expensive devices?
They’ll sell their services. And/or their smart glasses, or cars, or whatever unique devices their R&D department develops. Or future generations will only know Apple as a fruit.
Smart companies change. Kodak invented the digital camera but failed to change with the times.
I see this as a way for Apple to extend its privacy platform - credit cards are a major source of data sold/bought.
Also blockchain is coming…Goldman holds a bunch of blockchain patents.
Wow… this post “Strikes me as ridiculous”. The OP states they have no interest in an Apple Card, has “no skin in the game”, and is critical of possible cosmetic blemishes. At first blush this appears, to me, rather troll-like. It’s just a credit card. When they wear out, banks send you new ones. The Apple Card appears to be focused on Apple Pay for phone based or online transactions, rather than traditional chip or swipe vendors. My plans are to use mine for Apple purchases only, as I’ve other cards with greater advantage elsewhere. As for APR…really…carrying a balance on a credit card, and paying double digit interest is for fools.
I agree… generally. But coming from the simplicty finance school I favor a one card to rule them all approach. (…bent only for a Costco approved card for convenience my spouse.) Adding another card isanathema. So This post is not an Apple Card putdown.
The card I have is used for most purchases. It’s automatically paid off at the end if the month. I own my own home and cars. Instead of paying interest I get the money to invest it or to buy life enhancing luxuries. In theory, I loose so called advantages of cash back on some expenditures.
Setting self-aggrandizement and rightiouness aside, my head gets twisted sitting in a restaurant with folks sorting through their cards wondering what card is safe the use.
I admit, there are times when using other peoples’ money is helpful and rewarding. But adding more credit cards is not the course I am willing to choose.
A little apology for being off topic. I read reports of the financial ill health of many in the US, and I feel concerned.
Marty, as you can see from my many posts here, I am no troll. My point, perhaps badly made, is that it seems ridiculous to issue a titanium card that can not be put in one’s jeans or wallet without damaging it. If that is the case, why not just issue plastic along with the good digital security? I have no skin in the game because I don’t like credit as a proposition so an Apple Credit Card, or any card for that matter, has little appeal.
Anyway, I just wanted to clarify that I’m no troll—though I’ve been called worse! I was just making an observation based on the fact that the delicacy of the Apple Card seems very un-Apple like.
Agreed, on all counts. The convenience and privacy are unmatched, as is payment of (usually 2%) daily cashback within 24 hours of making a purchase… even prior to paying the cc bill.
But then I am sure you don’t put a big rubber wrapping round your Jeep? A kind of bubble wrap maybe? Only joking really. I don’t put any of those things round as @lukei4655 says, a thing of beauty. I also found that ‘cases’ for iPhone tended to make mine over heat? I really liked the way lukei4655 put it. We are not only here for the functionality and so on, let’s just confess there is a huge aesthetic element and a ‘coolness’ one too. I am 'fessing up
I concur with the sentiment. Just to clarify I never called anyone’s post ridiculous. I said it strikes me as ridiculous that a titanium card requires such care and I was referring to the news article, not a poster on this forum. I believe I was called a troll but no big deal. One needs to “turn the other cheek” and not easily take offense.
My point, perhaps badly made, is that it seems ridiculous to issue a titanium card that can not be put in one’s jeans or wallet without damaging it. If that is the case, why not just issue plastic along with the good digital security? 
