There’s a lot to like about the Apple Card, the Apple-backed credit card launched by the company almost two years ago. There are no Apple card fees, your credit card integrates with the Wallet app on your phone to easily track spending, and you get cash back on Apple purchases, among other benefits. But something that is not so good? Family members cannot use the same Apple Card, so there is no way to reduce household expenses on a single account.
That should change soon, as Apple is gearing up to allow family members to share a single Apple card. And the latest iOS 14.5 beta offers further proof that the feature will arrive soon.
9to5Mac first realized the possibility of a feature in the Apple card family in February, when the site was working on iOS 14.5 beta. This release contained a code indicating that Apple Card holders could share the same credit card with others in their family through iCloud Family sharing.
iOS 14.5 beta 3, which is now available as part of Apple’s public beta for iOS 14, contains more details about the Apple card family. This version of the software suggests that you will have the option to make someone else co-owner of your Apple card or to limit it to allow only spending. The first option seems ideal for spouses or partners to review balances and expenses.
Currently, Apple’s own support document for the Apple Card notes that “only the account owner can use the Apple Card at the moment” and that if a family member or friend wants to use a card, they themselves need to request one.
The Apple Card is part of Apple’s service effort, which has become a growing focus on the company, which seeks to find new sources of revenue in addition to hardware releases. The effort seems to be paying off for Apple – the company posted a record $ 15.8 billion in revenue for its services segment during the last quarter of the holiday.
Apple clearly wants to maintain that growth. And making the Apple Card more attractive to families looking to manage their spending is clearly part of that strategy.