Monday, August 10, 2020

“Everything” Apple Gift Cards

Michael Simon:

Apple today announced a major change to its gift card offerings. Instead of separate cards for iTunes and Apple Store purchase, Apple is now selling a single [card] for “everything Apple” that can be used online and in stores to purchase “products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud, and more.”

While the new cards will make it easier to buy things, they could also mean the end of the standard iTunes gift card deals that regularly pop up. Best Buy, PayPal, and others often offer 15- or 20-percent off $50 or $100 cards, but those deals rarely surface for Apple Store cards.

Discounted gift cards have been one reason offered in justification of Apple’s 30% App Store cut.

Previously:

3 Comments RSS · Twitter

I think Apple will still provide In Store Recharge Discount or Online Recharge Discount for App Store.

The specific problem with Gift Card is a lot of people buy App Store Gift Card and thinking it could be used in Apple Store. And later find out they have thousand dollar worth of App Store Gift Card not being able to buy a Mac or iPhone. So I think it is definitely a good move.

@Ed Yes, having two different cards was causing a lot of confusion before. And what to call the media-only one when it’s good for Apple Books and Apple Music and they’re trying to get rid of the iTunes name?

@Ed Totally agree, did not see a reason for multiple categories of gift cards for the same company. Very weird. Streamlining in this case makes perfect sense to me.

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