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These Seven iOS Features Remain Available in the U.S. Only
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Apple card is going to fail harder than force touch and the apple iCharger 😁
While many iOS features are available internationally, some remain exclusive to the U.S., such as the Apple Card, Apple Card Savings, Apple Cash, Apple Pay Later, Wallet IDs, Roadside Assistance via Satellite, and Clean Energy Charging.
Below, we have provided more details about some iOS features available in the U.S. only.
Apple Card
Launched in 2019, the Apple Card remains available in the U.S. only. Apple's credit card can be managed completely through the Wallet app on the iPhone, with a physical version available for use at stores that do not accept contactless payments. The card has no fees beyond interest and offers up to 3% cashback known as Daily Cash.
Apple Card's financial partner in the U.S. is currently Goldman Sachs, but that reportedly might change in the next 12 to 15 months.
While there have been clues that the Apple Card might expand to additional countries in the future, such as an Apple Card trademark filing in Canada, Apple has not confirmed any immediate plans to launch the card internationally.
Apple Card Savings
Earlier this year, the Apple Card savings account launched in the Wallet app on the iPhone, allowing Apple Card holders in the U.S. to earn interest on their Daily Cash and other cash deposits. The high-yield savings account has a 4.15% APY, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements.
Given the Apple Card is available in the U.S. only, so too is the savings account.
Apple Cash
Apple Cash is a Venmo-like payment feature that allows iPhone users in the U.S. to send, request, and receive money in the Wallet and Messages apps. Users can transfer their Apple Cash balance to a connected bank account.
Apple Cash remains available in the U.S. only, and despite clues like a trademark filing in Canada, it is unclear if the feature will expand to other countries.
Apple Pay Later
Launched earlier this year, Apple Pay Later is a "buy now, pay later" feature that lets qualifying U.S. residents split a purchase made with Apple Pay into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees. The feature is available for purchases between $75 and $1,000 made on an iPhone or iPad on most websites and apps that accept Apple Pay.
Like the other financial features on this list, it is unclear if or when Apple Pay Later will expand to other countries.
Wallet IDs
In 2022, Apple started letting residents of participating U.S. states add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age. The feature is currently available in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and Georgia only, with additional states to follow.
Apple said it was working to offer the ID feature across the U.S. in the future, but the company has yet to announce any specific plans or a timeframe, and it has not indicated if the feature will ever launch in other countries.
Roadside Assistance via Satellite
Starting with iOS 17, all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models offer a roadside assistance via satellite feature that allows users in the U.S. to contact roadside assistance company AAA for vehicle service when outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Apple said the feature is available "beginning" in the U.S., so it will likely expand to some additional countries in the future.
Clean Energy Charging
iOS 16.1 introduced a Clean Energy Charging feature that "aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources," according to Apple. When the feature is toggled on, the iPhone will attempt to charge "when lower carbon-emission electricity is available."
Clean Energy Charging is available in the U.S. only, and Apple has not indicated if or when it will be expanded to additional countries.
Article Link: These Seven iOS Features Remain Available in the U.S. Only
Hopefully there’ll be EU-only side-loading and alternative browser engines soon to compensate.
Edit: Oh, and I forgot, we still have a physical SIM slot.
Edit: Oh, and I forgot, we still have a physical SIM slot.
eSIM implementation has been truly awful. How is it that registering a string of digits with a carrier is such a slog, but sticking in a piece of metal and plastic with the same string of digits is as easy as popping in a CD?
The promise of simply scanning a QR code to completely activate one's eSIM is thus far a lie.
Meanwhile in Europe most carriers want to charge €10 for eSIM activation, so have fun getting local data while traveling abroad.
Apple Cash is such a simple and basic financial feature I'm surprised they have not rolled it out to more countries.
Hell, Apple could buy a company like Wise and allow all iPhone users to easily transfer money in different currencies amongst themselves via Apple Cash.
Hell, Apple could buy a company like Wise and allow all iPhone users to easily transfer money in different currencies amongst themselves via Apple Cash.
If only the list were that short. Here in Denmark we don't even have predictive text yet among other things. Still stuck with the same keyboard that shipped with the first iPhone. I know I can download 3rd party keyboards, but it's just not as smooth as using the stock keyboard. Very often it feels like Apple only cares about the US - especially these last few years. Loads of new features - just not if you live anywhere outside the US (or a handful of other big countries).
I am actively trying to rid google from my life LMAO.
I have stopped using gmail for the most part except for websites that dont accept Outlook.com as a Sign-on (I am surprised Microsoft has not made this possible).
I exclusively use apple maps and i have no issues here in the states or the many times we used it on my travels to Europe and Australia.
Only thing i can;t get away from sadly is youtube.
Doesn't Denmark speak a different language natively? Perhaps there is some roadblock for the predictive text.
Also some of these things, I believe are regulated by government restrictions (Like the License feature. Despite me being American, my state is not actually eligible to use it even though it is a US based thing). So it is not just other countries missing features.
You aren’t missing anything. I have it and have used it exactly … 0 times. No one takes it but TSA, and that just slows the line down so no one uses it. Absolutely useless at this point.
I will say that I have used my Colorado digital ID/license from the state’s app (MyColorado). Plenty of places in the state accept that.
The issue with the Apple Digital ID is everything is hidden behind an info button without your picture (since FaceID/TouchID should verify it’s you) whereas the Colorado Digital ID is a copy of my state ID in 3D so it looks exactly the same. Until everyone is used to how the Apple IDs are presented and verified, they’re fairly worthless.
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Yes, we speak Danish here, but that doesn't keep SwiftKey, Google Keyboard and others from supporting Danish. And you would think that a company the size of Apple would have the resources, to support it as well, after all these years. But it's not just that, these last few years about 1/3 of the features announced during the keynote, didn't come to Denmark. I know we're not the only country 'left out', but it's really frustrating not getting features, that should in theory work here, as other companies can make similar features work here.
Ah got you.
I just dream of a day when i can go to a bar and just double click and be able to get inside without having to fumble through a purse for it or like thanksgiving, when i lost my ID because i dropped it somewhere while waiting to get in a bar.
that's fair and I can totally get the frustrations. All of the major companies do this though(Microsoft, Google and Apple) for whatever reason.
I am sure it is a nuisance, but are you able to change regions to possibly see if that would work to get the feature? You shouldn't have to, i am just curious if changing regions would work.
Interestingly, the previous manufacturer of British passports, De La Rue, were at one point looking into developing digital passports. They then lost the contract so presumably development stopped. Around the same time, the DVLA and DVSA (Britain’s government driving departments) were experimenting with digital driving licences.
Regardless of whether I'd use any of these or not, I would like to see these available globally, so that all iPhone users may experience all of the features. This list reminds me of region encoded DVD's; the iPhone is 'region encoded' somewhat too.
How is apple card a monopoly ?
you can add any credit or debt card to wallet.
People misuse monopoly a lot these days.
apple is one of the largest companies in the world.
it got that way by first making great hardware. but at that stage in apple's rise, it was very limited to a domestic USA market. and even at that, it was maybe 12% in a good year.
later, apple became a great operating company and software company. this allowed t to grow its product range.
but in those two phases it still couldn't compete with even terrible products from Microsoft internationally.
comes along apple stores (internationally), giving it an international look and feel. and marketing perspective.
then, most recently, it most focused on growing its services. its income and profit from services is growing really well.
i predict that the time frame for apple to up its game on international services will only be after it feels that there is still not much room to grow its services within the USA. only then will apple begin to dedicate enough resources to make inroads in foreign country's service sectors like financial services and health services. these two sectors are two of the most highly regulated and internationally protected sectors. so apple will not be able to grow these two sectors substantially without dedicating much more resources (meaning country by country lobbying and courting of professional organziation level contacts within these sectors.)
given apple and goldman sachs parting ways, apple is at a cross roads for the financial sector right now.
will it think that it can make the most profit by going it alone? or, will it partner with an enemy (in many ways) like Visa and relegate itself to be just one small (but maybe important) link in the way we buy products.
the other interesting thing about apple as an international player is its recent iOS settings that make it easier for a person to safeguard their communications and support against hacking.
on this point apple is a making a principled stand to help people who need to be assured of confidentiality such as reporters or others.
but in the not so far distant past it cooperated with China by not allowing VPN apps to be sold in the apple China app store.
i would like to know if the recent user settable features like Lockdown Mode are being offered on iPhones sold (out of the box) and activated within China.
an international apple is working through all these issues at the same time.
it got that way by first making great hardware. but at that stage in apple's rise, it was very limited to a domestic USA market. and even at that, it was maybe 12% in a good year.
later, apple became a great operating company and software company. this allowed t to grow its product range.
but in those two phases it still couldn't compete with even terrible products from Microsoft internationally.
comes along apple stores (internationally), giving it an international look and feel. and marketing perspective.
then, most recently, it most focused on growing its services. its income and profit from services is growing really well.
i predict that the time frame for apple to up its game on international services will only be after it feels that there is still not much room to grow its services within the USA. only then will apple begin to dedicate enough resources to make inroads in foreign country's service sectors like financial services and health services. these two sectors are two of the most highly regulated and internationally protected sectors. so apple will not be able to grow these two sectors substantially without dedicating much more resources (meaning country by country lobbying and courting of professional organziation level contacts within these sectors.)
given apple and goldman sachs parting ways, apple is at a cross roads for the financial sector right now.
will it think that it can make the most profit by going it alone? or, will it partner with an enemy (in many ways) like Visa and relegate itself to be just one small (but maybe important) link in the way we buy products.
the other interesting thing about apple as an international player is its recent iOS settings that make it easier for a person to safeguard their communications and support against hacking.
on this point apple is a making a principled stand to help people who need to be assured of confidentiality such as reporters or others.
but in the not so far distant past it cooperated with China by not allowing VPN apps to be sold in the apple China app store.
i would like to know if the recent user settable features like Lockdown Mode are being offered on iPhones sold (out of the box) and activated within China.
an international apple is working through all these issues at the same time.
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Financial regulations make Apple Card and Cash a tougher problem than it should be. These are the only two I’d use
They want eSim NOT to be a thing. They much prefer the way things are now where it’s not reasonable to expect that it can be done quickly AND remotely (which it can).
In some parts of the world, the parts where those things are available, it’s not. In OTHER parts of the world, they ACTUALLY use phrases like “Apple has a monopoly on the Apple (product/service)”. Because of this, it’s unlikely many of those features will be available beyond the place it’s available now.