MasterCard

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on MasterCard:

Apple Card’s ‘enhanced security’ takes aim at fraud

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Apple Card in POS
Stealing someone’s Apple Card number is designed to be very hard.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The new Apple Card offers some unusual security features, all designed to prevent this credit card’s number from being used without authorization, either in a store or online.

The fact that the card number isn’t printed on it anywhere is just the start. “The real key to the enhanced security here is happening behind the scenes,” said Craig Vosburg, President of Mastercard North America.

Apple Card adds new rewards as it becomes available to all (in the US)

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Apple Card
Just spend it.
Photo: Apple

Apple Card is now available to all iPhone users in the United States.

You can sign up for yours through the Wallet app. Users will enjoy 2% daily cash back on Apple Pay transactions, and 3% daily cash back on purchases made directly from Apple.

As the Apple credit card launched Tuesday, Cupertino also expanded its 3% daily cash back offer to include Uber and Uber Eats.

These are the ‘low rates’ currently available for Apple Card

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Apple Card
Apple Card sounds awesome. But read the small print.
Photo: Apple

Against all odds, Apple’s introduction of its “Apple Card” credit card managed to outshine Hollywood’s finest stars at yesterday’s keynote event. Among the card’s nifty features, Apple promised an interest rate among the lowest in the industry.

But is it? Details on the new Apple Card website include the “lower interest rates” in their footnotes. And while they’re certainly not excessive, they’re also not quite as low as you might think.

MasterCard offers free Tube rides for Apple Pay users in U.K

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Save yourself the best part of thirty quid with MasterCard and Apple Pay.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

If, like me, you live in the U.K., you get bad weather, gray skies, and a baffling international reputation for bland cuisine and poor dental hygiene — but also free London travel for certain Apple Pay customers on selected days in January.

That’s because MasterCard is revisiting its pre-Christmas promotion, by offering more of its “Free Fare Mondays” on the London Underground to promote Apple Pay.

Not a bad trade-off if you ask me!

Samsung Pay goes head-to-head with Apple Pay this September

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samsung-pay-goes-head-to-head-with-apple-pay-this-september-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201508samsung-pay-jpg
Samsung Pay is finally on the way.
Photo: Samsung
Samsung Pay is finally on the way. Photo: Samsung
Samsung Pay is finally on the way. Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s new phablets aren’t the only thing we got out of its Unpacked event in New York City today; the South Korean company also announced a launch date for its new mobile payments service. Samsung Pay will be coming to take on Apple Pay in the U.S. on September 28.

Visa, MasterCard follow Apple Pay’s lead with beefed-up security

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A war for mobile wallet dominance is on the horizon. Apple Pay. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The industry is embracing tokenization and biometric security, both of which are Apple Pay's marquee strengths. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple wasn’t kidding when it said Apple Pay would transform mobile payments. Built around easy of use and security, Apple Pay is the industry’s first solution that benefits users and banks.

The security aspect of Apple Pay has been especially crucial to its early success, and now the big credit card companies have been spurred to follow suit. Today both Visa and MasterCard announced new security initiatives to protect against cyberattacks. Visa in particular has borrowed one of Apple Pay’s key ideas: tokenization.

Gwen Stefani blasts Apple Pay users with surprises for MasterCard

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gwen-stafani
MasterCard is blasting Apple Pay users with surprises. Photo: MasterCard

MasterCard is keeping the Apple Pay party going with a new ad featuring Gwen Stefani who’s been armed with a ‘Surprise launcher’ to blast cardholders with sweet prizes each time they use Apple Pay.

The ad is part of MasterCard’s new Priceless Surprises campaign that rewards customers with everything from handbags and golf clubs, to concert tickets, or a chance to hangout with the No Doubt queen herself. Gwen’s new single “Spark the Fire” is featured in the playful new ad directed by Sophie Muller that also includes a cohort of fashionista minions to help hone her aim.

Check out the full ad below:

Why Apple Pay is the future

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Apple Pay. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
About to test Apple Pay at the local Walgreens. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Critics are fond of saying Apple doesn’t innovate any more. But Apple’s new electronic payment system, Apple Pay, is innovation of the highest order. After a relatively smooth rollout this week, I honestly believe Apple Pay is the future of payments.

Even so, Apple Pay must clear some big hurdles if it’s to become the universal standard. For now, it’s limited to Apple’s latest iPhones and a relatively small number of retail partners, but the basic system — using your fingerprint to validate a purchase on your mobile phone — is the way we will pay for goods and services in the future.

Once again, Apple has shown the world how things should be done.