14 DAY TRIAL // Apple wants to release its very own credit card of users of Apple devices that would provide a series of benefits, including rewards when purchasing content from the App Store.
Cupertino has teamed up with Goldman Sachs, according to a report from the WSJ, and the new credit cards will enter a private testing program in the coming weeks.
Only company employees will receive the new credit cards at first, but Apple hopes to bring it to the market as soon as possible, possibly later this year.
The credit cards will be specifically aimed to be used with the Wallet app that Apple offers on its devices, and will provide customers with 2% cash back for their purchases. Rewards are also likely to be offered, and Apple believes that it could thus not only increase spending in the App Store, but also be able to generate more revenue with its services.
Possible launch in September
The credit cards will come with a series of management options, and users will be allowed to see their balance and configure spending goals.
At this point, both Apple and Goldman Sachs are still working on the project, and the latter is said to be in a rather advanced planning stage, as it’s preparing for setting up call centers for customer support. The new payment system is believed to be ready, so the first Apple employees getting the credit cards in the upcoming weeks will be able to try them out as part of the private testing program.
Needless to say, Apple has remained completely tight-lipped on its plans, but the company is expected to announce the credit cards in September when it takes the wraps off its new iPhones. More details in this regard could be shared in the coming months, possibly at the WWDC conference in the summer.