Apple new product rumours and general news

[skyscraper101]

Costco Amex is 1% on general, 2% on travel (includes TfL), 3% on "dining" (which includes pubs). Yes, you have to spend your "cash" back at Costco but that's not much of an ask.

Dining and pubs are the worst for not accepting Amex. So many non-chain restaurants and pubs just don't take Amex at all, so I end up using a mastercard with no cashback at all. Strange the Costco Amex isn't advertised in the comparison sites. I presume you have to be a Costco member? They all seem to exist on the fringes of London. I've never actually stepped inside one.

Hate to burst your bubble, but it's not definite that the UK version will have the same features as the US one:

It remains to be seen. Obvs if they don't have the same cashback rates as the US then that will suck massively but it will still be better than nothing at all I'm getting on my backup mastercard. Plus I like the clearer statements they are promising.

 

[strung out]

There's no way the rewards in the EU will be anything like you get in the US. The EU have capped interchange fees for credit cards at 0.3%, which makes any significant rewards from VISA or Mastercard virtually non-existent. It would have to be a massive loss leader for Apple.

 

[editor]

There's no way the rewards in the EU will be anything like you get in the US. The EU have capped interchange fees for credit cards at 0.3%, which makes any significant rewards from VISA or Mastercard virtually non-existent. It would have to be a massive loss leader for Apple.

Yes, but it looks pretty....

 

[skyscraper101]

Just to be clear, I wouldn't get this card just because it's Apple. I'm far from being a fanboy and would rather be able to remove myself from their ecosystem come the time as seamlessly as possible. Also I think titanium physical card is showy and naff.

But, if the rates they're offering in the US are reflected in the UK then it would certainly become my primary card. Simply because it would treble my annual cashback rewards. If not, then I may still get it assuming there will be at least some cashback on offer, and because the statements look a lot nicer and clearer. I won't be throwing a showy-off titanium card down on the table when splitting the bill though.

 

[editor]

Just to be clear, I wouldn't get this card just because it's Apple. I'm far from being a fanboy and would rather be able to remove myself from their ecosystem come the time as seamlessly as possible. Also I think titanium physical card is showy and naff.

But, if the rates they're offering in the US are reflected in the UK then it would certainly become my primary card. Simply because it would treble my annual cashback rewards. If not, then I may still get it assuming there will be at least some cashback on offer, and because the statements look a lot nicer and clearer. I won't be throwing a showy-off titanium card down on the table when splitting the bill though.

But the whole point of this card is to tie you in ever-tightly into their ecosystem.

 

[skyscraper101]

But the whole point of this card is to tie you in ever-tightly into their ecosystem.

Sure but removing myself from it would only be as difficult as... just using a different card.

 

[editor]

But, if the rates they're offering in the US are reflected in the UK then it would certainly become my primary card

Where have you seen anything to support that assumption?

 

[skyscraper101]

Where have you seen anything to support that assumption?

I haven't. I'm just saying if they offer the same rates, I'm all on it. If not, then I may be on it.

 

[sim667]

The only reason I'd consider one is if they were beating the competition hands down, or to buy apple products with. I buy my phones seperately to my contract and usually take a credit card out to do that, and then pay it off.

 

[skyscraper101]

The only reason I'd consider one is if they were beating the competition hands down, or to buy apple products with. I buy my phones seperately to my contract and usually take a credit card out to do that, and then pay it off.

I'm not averse to gaming credit card companies like this. I used to to the same in the US with the points guy just to get hotel stays and flight status upgrades. Last week I took out an Amazon credit card just to get £30 voucher. I'll probably never use it again.

 

[sim667]

I'm not averse to gaming credit card companies like this. I used to to the same in the US with the points guy just to get hotel stays and flight status upgrades. Last week I took out an Amazon credit card just to get £30 voucher. I'll probably never use it again.

I thought taking out credit cards and not using them damaged your credit history.

I'm currently trying to pay off my diving kit on my credit card, because I want more up to date diving kit and better djing stuff. I don't earn very well though, so what some people could pay off in a couple of months takes me like a year.

 

[skyscraper101]

I thought taking out credit cards and not using them damaged your credit history.

I'm currently trying to pay off my diving kit on my credit card, because I want more up to date diving kit and better djing stuff. I don't earn very well though, so what some people could pay off in a couple of months takes me like a year.

Seemingly not because I always get approved, but I also keep them active by doing the occasional small purchase on different ones here and there.

 

[sim667]

Seemingly not because I always get approved, but I also keep them active by doing the occasional small purchase on different ones here and there.

I'd lose track.

 

[Chz]

I'd lose track.

It's a lot of effort to save the most money. Some people relish the challenge, some people (myself included) place a higher value on their time. Neither is right or wrong, I gather the savings nuts really enjoy themselves. But it is a lot of time spent.

 

[cybershot]

It certainly used to be true that having loads of cards put you at further risk of credit down the line because at some point you could just go out and blow thousands and have little intention of paying it back. I usually cancel them once it’s paid off and I’m done with them, but things may have changed.

 

[sim667]

It's a lot of effort to save the most money. Some people relish the challenge, some people (myself included) place a higher value on their time. Neither is right or wrong, I gather the savings nuts really enjoy themselves. But it is a lot of time spent.

I'm a bit of both....... I don't spend lots of time doing it, but occasionally I'll set down, look at my ISA's (which I need to do, the rates are currently fucking pathetic) and where I can trim back on my outgoings.

I use chip which is cool though, it squirrels money away so I don't notice it, I'm currently using it to save up for a diving camera and have got just shy of £400 with it, and my monzo account rounds all my card transactions up to the nearest £1 an puts the skimmings in a savings pot.

 

[skyscraper101]

There's a rumour that the new iPhones being launched next month will come with USB-C chargers. I for one welcome this, if true.

Second Rumor Claims 2019 iPhones Will Come With USB-C Chargers

 

[cybershot]

Hmmm.

Apple Card can be damaged by wallets and jeans

 

[cybershot]

There's a rumour that the new iPhones being launched next month will come with USB-C chargers. I for one welcome this, if true.

Second Rumor Claims 2019 iPhones Will Come With USB-C Chargers

I read that article as usb c charger. Meaning the usb end is usb c while the phone port is still lightning.

 

[moochedit]

Hmmm.

Apple Card can be damaged by wallets and jeans

Oh ffs!

Apple says clean Apple Card with a microfiber cloth, avoid contact with leather and denim

 

[editor]

Oh dear.

How bad is Catalina? It's almost Apple Maps bad: MacOS 10.15 pushes Cupertino's low bar for code quality lower still

 

[Lazy Llama]

I've only encountered two problems with it so far:

• The installer got stuck at the end. Powered off/on and it was fine
• Music eats all your RAM and a lot more if you leave it running to the point where it'll crash the machine. Something to do with reading the album artwork. So I only run Music while I'm interacting with it

Those are the most issues I've ever had with a MacOS upgrade though, so yeah, it's the worst.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Have to say both iOS 13 and macOS Catalina are easily the least polished software releases I’ve seen in ten years of using Apple products...


.

 

[sim667]

Have to say both iOS 13 and macOS Catalina are easily the least polished software releases I’ve seen in ten years of using Apple products...


.

iOS 13 has been cracking for me.

I've avoided catalina like the plague.

 

[cybershot]

I’ve got it on my iPad only and safari is buggy as hell. Is 13.1.2 already like the fourth release of 13, and it’s still this bad.
I’m seriously thinking next time I might sign up to the betas to actually report the issues because clearly the people doing so at the moment aren’t bothering or apple are screwing up introducing new bugs or just aren’t listening.

 

[Winot]

iOS 13 has been cracking for me.

I've avoided catalina like the plague.

ditto

 

[elbows]

Catalina has been good to me so far. In the UK the trash is now the bin

 

[Supine]

13.1.3 is now available. Hopefully it'll sorry some bugs out.

 

[editor]

Apple news

But the result is an alarming level of falsehood even by Trump standards. He claimed to have brought Apple manufacturing to the United States while standing in a factory that had already been building Apple products for six years, and one that had nearly lost the gig — not benefited — because of Trump’s trade policy.

Trump is lying about the ‘new’ ‘Apple’ factory

And

Apple's Online Store Quietly Kills User Reviews and Ratings

 

[cybershot]

Glowing review for the 16in MacBook Pro from the guardian.

16in MacBook Pro review: bigger battery, new keyboard, new Apple

Apple shows it’s listening to pro users by producing a thicker, heavier and better machine

www.theguardian.com