Apple Expands Payment Program for Apple Card Holders

Need to Know 

• Apple has expanded its Apple Card-enabled monthly payment program to include more products, like Macs and iPads.
• All monthly payments will go through the Apple Card, and tech giant is hoping these new additions will boost enrollment.
• This program’s expansion could be a move to compete with “buy now, pay later” apps like Klarna and Splitit.

Analysis

Things just got a little bit easier for those all-in on the Apple ecosystem: The tech giant is preparing to expand its monthly Apple Card payment program to now include iPads, Macs, and AirPods.

Rolling out in a couple of weeks, the service will allow customers to purchase more of Apple’s notoriously pricey products and make monthly, interest-free payments for 12 months. 

Using the Apple Card, which exists in the Wallet app on the iPhone, customers can now make 12-month interest-free payments on “iPads, Macs, the Apple Pencil and iPad keyboards, as well as the Mac XDR Display monitor, and six months with no interest for the AirPods, Apple TV, and HomePod”, said a source. 

Payments will be added to the customer’s monthly Apple Card bill.  

The monthly payment program was originally launched for the iPhone only, allowing for 24 months with no interest. The program’s expansion is designed to boost enrollments to Apple Card, which launched in partnership with Goldman Sachs last year. 

The move comes at a time where businesses across the globe are allowing for more payment flexibility. Apple may be trying to keep up as “buy now, pay later” tools have taken off in the e-commerce world, with new apps like Klarna, Splitit, and Afterpay claiming their place in every industry from retail to finance. 

In addition to flexible payment options, Apple Card’s benefits include its easy-to-use functionality (built right into the iPhone) and its 6% cashback option on purchases made in the Apple store.