Apple Card: A Millenial Debt Slave

If you’re an avid Apple products fan and have been following tech news, you may already know the company has launched its new credit card, Apple Card. It was a matter of time before the company did so since iPhone sales have stalled in recent quarters.

While it may seem awkward for the tech giant company to launch a credit card, it was one of Apple’s safest bets to permanently lock down its loyal customers and increase the iPhone’s stagnant revenue. 

Earlier this year, at its special event, the Cupertino, California-based company announced that it would introduce a co-branded credit card in partnership with Goldman Sachs.

It’s amazing that an organization that has revolutionized the smartphone industry with its revolutionary product, the iPhone, is now venturing into financial services.

What could go wrong here?

Nothing, it all makes perfect sense here. You don’t need to be a Forbes or Bloomberg Financial columnist to sort this out. With some sense, we’ll break down how Apple got into the finances business and what that means for Apple users. Without further ado, let’s dive right in because we’ve got a lot to cover in this article. 

People get excited every time a brand-new model comes out. As time passed by, that hype began to fade away with competition getting tougher and new players like OnePlus, and Huawei stepping up their games. 

People will sign up for the Apple Card not because it’s the best credit card out there but because they love the brand.

If people don’t upgrade their iPhones as often as they used to, there’s a problem here for Apple from a profitability standpoint. Apple had to come up with different marketing strategies to boost its revenue.

The company started to launch multiple iPhones per year, which includes a mid-tier iPhone to reach emerging markets like China and India.

That didn’t really help, the iPhone 5R was a total failure, and the iPhone XR is probably on its way to repeating the same fiasco. If that interests you, here’s why the iPhone XR could be a market failure. 

Most of the company’s revenue comes from iPhone sales. In the third quarter of 2019, iPhone sales pulled in $25.99 Billion out of a total of $53.8B in revenue, the first time iPhone sales didn’t make up half of Apple’s earnings since 2012.

In the same optic of increasing revenue, the company introduced new paid services like Apple News Plus, Arcade game earlier this year. By the way, in the near future, most of Apple’s revenue will come from Paid services. 

iMessage, seamless integration between software and hardware, top-notch customer service are among the obstacles that prevent iPhone users from switching to Android.

But iPhone and Android are now closer than ever, whether it’s from a software or hardware perspective. It’s now easier to leave Apple without losing so much.

So, how does Apple keep current iPhone users?

How does Apple stop its loyal fans from leaving?

That’s what the Apple Card is for.

Let’s elaborate.

Here’s where things get interesting, you need to own a compatible iPhone to apply for Apple Card. It’s clear and simple if you don’t have an iPhone, Apple Card is not for you. Here are all the Apple Card requirements. 

Why would Apple and Goldman Sachs release a jointly-branded credit card for only a selected market? Well, it’s typical for Apple to do whatever is necessary to keep its profits high.

First, the smartphone maker is not a credit card company and is not trying to compete against other credit card companies like Chase or Bank of America. Apple is in the business of selling iPhones and will continue to do so for many years to come. 

Apple Card was introduced with the sole purpose of luring iPhone users into Apple’s ecosystem. It is a direct way for the company to counteract declining iPhone sales.

It also would make iPhone users feel more special since they made the card of titanium laser-etched with users’ names but no numbers or expiration dates.

Apple launched the Apple Card just a month before its Fall iPhone Event, which is a great timing so people can have time to sign up for it and buy new iPhones.

We can deny it. The card has a clean and minimalist design, which is why most people will sign up for it. It’s sad, but that’s the reality of our society.

In general, metal credit cards are for the wealthy, and you can only get the Apple Card if you own an iPhone. This will play a key role in making iPhone users more loyal, which is critical for any business’ success.

Goldman Sachs, on the other hand, will get customers (iPhone users) that they wouldn’t ordinarily get. But we all can agree declining growth and margins could be the company’s motivation. And that’s also a great opportunity for Goldman Sachs to continue diversifying from a global investment bank to a consumer bank.

The card has no fees, the industry’s lowest interest rates with comparable cards. Credit card companies rely heavily on those fees and interests to make money. The winner here is Apple big time.

It’s no surprise other banks that were in talks with Apple pulled out of the deal because of concerns about the product’s profitability. We’re not sure how this will play out for the Wall Street investment bank giant, but predictions are not good. 

The iPhone maker has been marketing Apple Card as “a new kind of credit card made by Apple, not a bank.” Goldman Sachs is the bank that will lend you the money, not Apple, and they’re processing all the transactions.

Apple only gives you the technology and tools to integrate the card into your iPhone seamlessly. Apple Card is just a credit card like any other credit card. All the cool new features that the card has, like tons of financial wellness tools, are to entice people and make it look like something totally new to the industry.

Don’t get me wrong. Those tools are super useful and nice to have. Having these features on every credit card is a good idea, but don’t let that detract from the main reason Apple designed the Apple Card in the first place.

Now, how will Apple Card lock down iPhone users into Apple’s ecosystem?

If you have already signed up for Apple Card, you should know it will have massive implications for your financial life. Let me explain what I mean by this.

While Apple claims Apple Card represents everything the company stands for- including privacy, security, and simplicity- you should know Goldman Sachs has been involved in controversies and legal disputes worldwide. So that you know who you’re doing business with.

To be honest, I’m not sure why Apple would choose Goldman Sachs as the issuing bank because of its bad reputation for doing business. This deal should be an eye-opening warning to all iPhone users.

Let’s say you already own an iPhone and are considering signing up for Apple Card. The process is super quick. You can approve in a matter of seconds and start using it right away.

The Apple Card gives you an advantage over most credit card applications that usually take days from the time you apply to the time you receive the card and can begin using it.

According to the Federal Reserve, US credit card debt hit $1.04 trillion, the largest ever.

Keep in mind there’s no sign-up bonus for this card. A discount on your next iPhone purchase would be logical, not even an AirPods. The only incentive you get is the Apple logo on the card. It’s Apple. Their greed for money knows no bounds.

Now that you have your sleek rectangular titanium, what do you do next? You start using it for everyday small expenses and will buy the next iPhone and Apple Watch with it, which is Apple’s ultimate goal. That way, credit card debt will continue to hit record highs. Let’s put that into context for a moment. 

The best analogy is that the company kills two birds with one stone. If you think Apple was good at making money, wait for its next earning quarterly report, and follow its stock closely. The giant tech will make ridiculous money from you buying its expensive products with the Apple Card.

Now that you’re locked down even more into Apple’s ecosystem. How do you get out?

Let’s say you finally realize that you can live without iMessage because there are actually plenty of great messaging apps out there. Let’s say you want to buy a new, more affordable smartphone and suddenly find yourself in a tough situation.

Your Apple Card is tied to your iPhone, so you won’t be able to use it anymore. You have no choice but to close that credit card, which might have massive implications for your credit history. That’d be something you don’t want.

Now it looks like Apple Card is all evil. Absolutely not. This card is for you if you’re a die-hard Apple fan and can afford its products.

But you’re probably not the ideal customer of Goldman Sachs since you’ll be able to pay off your balance every month. Therefore, they’ll make no money off of you.

It’s no surprise to anyone that people with subprime credit scores are getting approved for the Apple Card. That’s the kind of customer Goldman Sachs targets, and you should be very careful if you fall into that category. 

Goldman Sachs will rip Millennials off with the “No late fees” the card has. It’s already hard for most people to keep up with their credit card payments on time. Imagine having a card that has no late fee penalty.

Bingo! Dream comes true. Not so fast. You’ll end up paying massive interest on that balance you carry on a monthly basis, and will be much harder to get out of this debt cycle.