| Cult of Mac

Split up payments with Apple Pay Later

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Give me my money! (In four scheduled installments)
Instead of paying once, you have the pleasure of paying four times! (But a little less.)
Image: DigiGal DZiner/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can split up a big purchase across four smaller payments using Apple Pay Later. Unlike other similar services like Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm, there’s no interest — you pay the exact same amount of money as if you were purchasing at once.

Payments are expected every two weeks, matching the most common paycheck schedule in the United States. It’s easy to use and transparent about what you’ll pay when; it couldn’t be more straightforward.

Even Tim Cook’s Apple Card application got rejected

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Tim Cook has plenty of money, so that couldn't be the reason.
Tim Cook has plenty of money, so that couldn't be the reason.
Image: Canva

Not just anyone qualifies for a new Apple Card — including Apple CEO Tim Cook, according to a new report. The Goldman Sachs underwriting system apparently rejected his application a while back.

Amid reports lately that Goldman is losing money on its deal with Apple, and the two might part ways, it almost sounded like payback. But that’s not it.

Apple Card and Apple Pay could soon launch in India

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Apple Card works hand-in-hand with iPhone
Apple wants to bring Apple Card and Apple Pay to India.
Photo: Apple

Apple is reportedly in talks with HDFC Bank to bring Apple Card to India. The latter is among the country’s largest credit card issuers and private banks.

The Cupertino giant also held discussions with NPCI to launch Apple Pay in the country.

Recurring payments are coming to Apple Cash

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Apple Cash reoccurring payments in iOS 17
Regularly send money to friends, family, etc. with reoccurring payments, coming to Apple Cash.
Photo: Apple

Making regular, reoccurring payments will soon be a feature of Apple Cash. This will make the payment system useful for rent or allowances or other financial transactions that happen each week or month.

Plus, the system will be able to automatically bring in more money when needed.

Apple Pay Later gives you 6 weeks to pay off interest-free loans

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Apple Pay Later lets shoppers buy now then pay in installments
Apple launched a new way to pay off expensive items on Tuesday.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

A new Apple Pay Later service allows consumers to pay off purchases of under $1,000 in installments. No interest or fees are charged. And it’s not only for Apple products — the service can be used for any expensive item.

It begins rolling out on Tuesday with broad availability “in the coming months,” according to Apple.

Apple refuses to give up on iPhone hardware subscription service

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iPhone 14 Plus vs. iPhone 14
Multiple Apple financial services efforts have hit engineering hurdles.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple continues working on its long-rumored iPhone hardware subscription service despite hitting several roadblocks. The service was first rumored to launch in late 2022.

With a subscription service, Apple will allow customers to get the latest iPhone by paying a monthly fee. This would save them from shelling out the total device cost upfront.

Apple Pay Later could launch next month with iOS 16.4 [Updated]

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Apple Pay Later
Apple Pay Later could finally be ready to launch.
Graphics: Apple/Rajesh

Apple Pay Later reportedly has entered beta testing among Apple’s retail store employees, signaling that the “buy now, pay later” service is nearing public release.

The move comes months after Apple announced the financing option at its Worldwide Developers Conference last June.

Apple Pay is now bigger than MasterCard

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A major regulator points at Apple Pay Later to express concern over Big Tech entering the short-term loan business.
Apple Pay adoption keeps growing by leaps and bounds.
Photo: Apple

Apple Pay is now handling over $6 trillion in transactions a year, according to new research. That means the iPhone’s wireless payment system is now bigger than MasterCard and Alipay.

Since its inception in 2014, analysts report that Apple Pay has slowly grown to the point where a large majority of iPhone users now have it activated.

Want to support national parks? Use Apple Pay this week.

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The Southwest Conservation Corps’s Leaders of Color crew provides a supportive space for aspiring BIPOC conservationists to break into the field.
The Southwest Conservation Corps’s Leaders of Color crew provides a supportive space for aspiring BIPOC conservationists to break into the field.
Photo: National Park Foundation/Jeremy Wade Shockley

Apple pledged Monday to donate $10 to the National Park Foundation (NPF) for many Apple Pay purchases. If you buy via Apple Pay on apple.com, in the Apple Store app or at a U.S. Apple Store through August 28, you’re helping national parks.

Cupertino said it’s a way to celebrate 106 years of the U.S. National Park Service. And you can also enjoy special content and collections on Apple Maps, Apple Podcasts and more.