Published , by Asif Khan
Published , by Asif Khan
Apple Card just launched with partners Mastercard and Goldman Sachs. Users can now incorporate their payments deeper into the Apple ecosystem, and they even get a nifty new physical credit card. Funny thing happened on the way to reinventing the credit card. Apple is instructing Apple Card users to avoid contact with leather and denim. Maybe users will think different and join these new anti-jean and anti-wallet movements?
I hate to be that guy, but I am totally going to be that guy right now. This wouldn't have slipped by Steve Jobs for one very obvious reason. That man was always wearing denim jeans everywhere. His own design aesthetic was so synonymous with denim jeans that an Italian denim company called Steve Jobs popped up shortly after his death when they realized that Apple never trademarked his name. Steve Jobs Inc. is still in business if you want to check out their Facebook page.
This isn't the first time that Tim Cook and the supposed product gurus in Cupertino missed a pretty glaring flaw in a device before launch. The Apple HomePod surprised many early adopters with white rings on wood surfaces when it launched at $350. It wasn't Apple Maps bad, as that application shipped in a pathetic condition in 2012 leading to the departure of Scott Forstall from the company.
Apple Pay has been growing for years, and Apple Card makes sense as a product and a service, but a credit card that can't come in contact with a majority of wallets is stupid and shows a lack of attention to detail at the company. Putting aside that Apple has partnered with Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs, this oversight on the actual product side is dumb enough for me to pass on the product entirely. It won't be the first time, as I am still rocking UE Boom bluetooth speakers instead of the more expensive HomePod. I still think Apple should release a new Beats Pill, if they like money.
Early reviews for Apple Card are pretty positive, and it seems that Goldman Sachs and Mastercard are offering credit to all sorts of folks with varying credit scores. This product isn't entirely bad, but it lacks the polish that I used to expect from an Apple product. This applies to many Apple services and even some apps now. Things are different at the company, and they are clearly struggling to keep investors happy with new services revenue as iPhone sales continue to weaken.
Apple has posted some tips on cleaning and safely storing your Apple Card. Perhaps Apple is setting themselves up for a iPhone 4 bumper moment, when they reinvent pants and wallets at a special event this fall? Keep it locked on Shacknews to find out. Please let us know what you think a pair of non-denim Apple Jeans would cost and if you would be interested in a physical Apple Wallet in the comments section of this article.