Thousands of Apple Retail Workers Now Testing Apple Card Ahead of Summer Launch

Ahead of the Apple Card's planned summer launch, Apple is now testing its upcoming Goldman Sachs credit card with thousands of retail workers, reports Bloomberg.

Apple was previously allowing its corporate employees to test the ‌Apple Card‌, but is now expanding testing to a much larger group through an internal beta program that launched this week.

apple card titanium and app
Employees are able to sign up directly from their personal devices, with the Apple Pay portion of the card activated immediately and a card scheduled to be sent within two to three weeks. Employees are receiving APRs between 13.24 percent and 24.24 percent, the same APR range that will be provided to consumers.

With thousands of retail workers available, the expansion marks the first wide scale test, allowing Apple to find and address bugs and other problems before the ‌Apple Card‌ launches to the public.

Apple employees have been asked not to discuss the card, but they are allowed to use it in public to make purchases.

Screenshots of the employee beta of the Apple Card show that test versions of the card are fully functional and include the ability to receive daily cash back, pay bills, see an order status for a physical card and receive technical support via text messaging. Users can also schedule payments, access their credit limit and manage connected bank accounts, among other tasks. Users will also have the ability to set the Apple Card as the default payment method for Apple purchases.

The ‌Apple Card‌, created in partnership with Goldman Sachs, is deeply integrated into the iPhone and the Apple ecosystem. It offers 3% cash back on Apple purchases, 2% cash back on all ‌Apple Pay‌ transactions, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Purchases are tracked in the Wallet app on the ‌iPhone‌, providing a breakdown of spending across different categories like health, food, shopping, and more. While the ‌Apple Card‌ offers higher rewards for ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases, for instances where a traditional purchase is required, Apple is providing customers with a physical card made from titanium.

Apple is planning to launch the ‌Apple Card‌ in the United States this summer, and Bloomberg says Apple has already been discussing an expansion into Europe with financial regulators. The employees using the card are running iOS 12.4 on their devices, and the iOS 12.4 update is expected to bring ‌Apple Card‌ support.

We've had four betas of iOS 12.4 so far, so a launch may not be too far off.

For a look at the ‌Apple Card‌ and what to expect when it launches, make sure to check out our dedicated Apple Card guide.

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
macbook pro bb cyber

Apple's M3 MacBook Pro Gets Up to $1,000 Off In Major New Sales, Starting at $1,299 [Updated]

Sunday August 11, 2024 1:54 pm PDT by
Apple's M3 MacBook Pro is seeing multiple high value discounts on Best Buy and Amazon today, with up to $1,000 off select models. This includes a new all-time low price on the entry-level M3 512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro at $1,299.00, down from $1,599.00, and a massive $1,000 discount on the high-end 16-inch model exclusively for Best Buy members. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18.1 Beta 2 and iOS 18 Beta 6

Monday August 12, 2024 2:32 pm PDT by
Apple is beta testing iOS 18 and the first update to iOS 18 concurrently, and we got the second betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 today alongside the sixth betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia 15. Many of the changes in iOS 18.1 are focused on bringing the .1 betas in line with the standard betas, which recently received updates to Photos and Safari, while...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Thursday August 8, 2024 4:40 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

Next Year's Slim iPhone 17 Could Be an 'iPhone Air'

Monday August 12, 2024 8:43 am PDT by
Apple's rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" could be positioned as an iPhone "Air" to boost sales, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained how the "fourth" model in the iPhone lineup since 2020 (the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus) has largely been a commercial failure. In the case of the Plus model,...

Top Rated Comments

gaximus Avatar
67 months ago
It's really nothing special. It's a ****ing cashback card like basically everyone has in their wallet. From a bank (here Goldman), like everyone else has (Citi, Chase...). With an app (like ... yea... all of the banks)
You have a card that gives cash back the same day, without having to do anything. And that same card has no late fees, overdraft fees, or cash advance fees? And that card has no printed card numbers on it so that if it's stolen or lost it can't be used? It's nothing like the card currently in anyones wallet.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
67 months ago
So, employees are taking a hard hit / pull to test Apple’s CC ! lol
Think about all the family/friends of Apple employees that ask them to use their discount. Think about the employee putting all of those purchases on the Apple Card, getting instant cash back and having their friend/family just transfer them the cash.

Now does the Apple Card seem worth it for Apple employees?

Idk why some of you love to find ways to hate on LITERALLY everything Lol it’s nuts. Let people enjoy things.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kaibelf Avatar
67 months ago
I hope parts are replaceable... :)
Clearly that card will get low ratings from iFixit.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JetTester Avatar
67 months ago
Testing is a good thing! Just ask Samsung.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thadoggfather Avatar
67 months ago
how much 'testing' can be done on retail wages?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NickName99 Avatar
67 months ago
iFixit will give it a scathing 1/10 repairability score
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)