Apple iPhone Users In India Can No Longer Use Credit, Debit Cards To Buy Apps: Here's What You Need To Do

Cupertino-based giant Apple has stopped accepting payments for its subscription services via debit cards and credit cards in India. This development comes in compliance with the new auto-debit rules that were introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last year. Now, this is a big developement for Apple services users in India, and it has raised a major question – how does this affect users directly. In this article, we will explain what this means and how users in India can continue to pay for subscriptions for Apple services.

HOW WILL USERS IN INDIA PAY FOR APPLE SERVICES

Now, with debit and credit cards now out of the picture, Apple users in India are left with the option of paying for services via Apple Funds. However, you can still not add funds in your Apple account via debit or credit cards, so for that, users will have to add funds using Apple Credits, Net Banking, or their Unified Payment ID (UPI).

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WHY IS APPLE REMOVING DEBIT AND CREDIT CARD PAYMENT OPTIONS

The decision to remove the option of payment via debit and credit cards in India is a result of the auto-debit rules that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) changed last year. The new RBI mandate indicated that there were to be no more automatic recurring payments for the various services such as utility bills, phone recharge, DTH and OTT payments. It essentially meant that no money would be deducted from the bank account without the customer’s manual approval. The change came into being on October 1, 2021.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I TRY TO USE MY SAVED CARDS?

If existing Apple iPhone users have already added their debit or credit details, the ‘Payment and Shipping’ section in the Settings menu shows “[card] not supported". Through an Apple Support page updated on April 18, the company recommends users add funds to the Apple ID balance to continue enjoying subscriptions. “Regulatory requirements in India apply to the processing of recurring transactions. If you hold an Indian debit or credit card and you have a subscription, these changes impact your transactions. Some transactions might be declined by banks and card issuers. To continue enjoying your subscriptions, you can pay with your Apple ID balance. You can add to your Apple ID balance using App Store Codes, Net Banking, and UPI."

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WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH TO CONTINUE USING WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT CANCELLATION

The best approach here is that users get an Apple Balance account and link it with UPI to add funds. Customers now have to add money to their Apple funds like they would a prepaid card. Reports suggest that the money will be deducted from their account each month as the subscription renews. New Apple users will also have to add their bank details while they manually create a new Apple ID during device setup.

WILL MY SUBSCRIPTION BE CANCELLED IF I DON’T TOP-UP APPLE FUNDS?

No, Apple will not directly cancel your subscription. When the date of your payments arrives, Apple will send you a mail warning you that the subscription will be cancelled and will urge you to update payment methods or top up funds in Apple Balance. Once you get this mail, you can add funds accordingly and continue using Apple services without having to cancel, in case you forget to keep your Apple ID topped-up.

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