Apple’s latest tech venture isn’t a new new gadget: it’s a credit card. Like anything from Apple, the new Apple Card is smarter than the competition. Right in your iPhone's Wallet app, you’ll be able to get an easy look at everything you’ve spent and get easy-to-understand advice on how to pay off your credit card. It’s a very slick personal finance app, and though it only works with your Apple Card, it will be a big help to people who pay for everything with their credit cards.
Security and privacy are another unique feature. Apple and Goldman Sachs (which underwrites the card) won’t monitor or record your transactions (beyond what’s necessary for the card to work). The physical card also offers a unique security feature: it doesn’t have your card number or security code on it, so no one could steal the physical card and start racking up bills. And if your card is stolen, you can always freeze it riot fro your phone.
If those features make the Apple Card the credit card for you, Apple has already started taking applications for the new card.
How to apply for the Apple Card
For now, only select people have been invited to apply — simply go to the Apple Card page and click on “Notify Me” in the upper right to sign up — but applications will be open to everyone this month. But once the application is available, it only takes a couple of minutes to apply — and if you’re approved, the card will show up in your digital wallet immediately.
To apply, you’ll need a compatible iPhone — all phones with Face ID or Touch ID, except for the iPhone 5s — and have your Apple ID configured with two-factor authentication for security. If you’ve frozen your credit, which isn’t a bad idea with the number of data breaches that could compromise your personal information, you’ll have to unfreeze it before you apply.
The application itself is the easiest part of the process:
- Open Wallet app on your iPhone
- Tap the plus sign in the upper right
- Select “Apple Card” and then tap continue
- Fill out your personal information — name, date of birth, address, partial social security number, and your annual income
- Agree to the card’s terms and conditions
When you’re done, it will take less than a minute to find out whether your application has been accepted. You’ll have the option to accept the offer or reject it — and if you accept, you can start using the card immediately to make purchases via Apple Pay on all of your devices.
Need to make a purchase at a merchant that doesn’t accept Apple Pay? You can also request a physical card after you’ve accepted the offer. The physical card can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted. When you receive it, you’ll need to activate it — but instead of calling an automated phone line like you would with a typical credit card, you can simply tap your phone to the envelope the card came in, which has an NFC tag that lets your phone identify it.
Applying for the Apple Card really couldn't be easier.
Image credit: Apple
