Apple launches universal gift card for hardware, software, and services

Billing it as being for "everything Apple," Apple has added a new gift card that combines the old Apple Store hardware, and App Store and iTunes ones.

Alongside the start of its back to school promotions, Apple has launched a new single gift card and Apple Account Balance for users in the US. It covers all hardware, software, and services that the company sells. The new card is promoted as being "for everything and everyone."

"Products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud, and more. This gift card does it all," says Apple on its shop page. "And then some."

The previous App Store & iTunes gift card, and the Apple Store Gift Cards that are for hardware, will continue to be accepted and will fund the user's new and unified Apple Account Balance. However, the previous options to buy these online from Apple's site appear to have been removed.

A separate gift card for businesses — to be used in promotional incentives, for example — continues to be available to buy.

Apple does also caution buyers of any of its gift cards that they cannot be used for anything other than purchases of Apple products. And says that "if you receive a request for payment using Apple Gift Cards" in any other way, you should report it to the FTC.

This follows years of scams relating to Apple's various gift cards. Despite repeated warnings from Apple about these scams, the company has recently been sued for allegedly perpetuating them.

15 Comments

ihatescreennames 1971 comments · 19 Years

About 4 years ago

That makes sense. I have suggested Apple Store gift cards when people asked me what they should get me and instead been given an iTunes gift card. Not that that is bad but it sure didn’t help me to buy an iPad Pro, for instance.

On a separate note, Apple Store gift cards weren’t really “for hardware”, it was also possible to use one to purchase an iTunes gift card. Really, it was the more flexible of the two options.

Rayz2016 6957 comments · 8 Years

About time, to be honest.

fred1 1131 comments · 11 Years

I agree. It’s all the same company so why separate cards?

But even so, please don’t buy these and send the numbers to people you get a mass e-mail from who address you as “Hey” and whom you haven’t heard from in years. Or in order to pay the IRS, a hospital, etc.

Apple does also caution buyers of any of its gift cards that they cannot be used for anything other than purchases of Apple products. And says that "if you receive a request for payment using Apple Gift Cards" in any other way, you should report it to the FTC.
I think there needs to be some sort of written test you to pass before you’re allowed anywhere near an internet connection.

pichael 49 comments · 13 Years

Rayz2016 said:

Apple does also caution buyers of any of its gift cards that they cannot be used for anything other than purchases of Apple products. And says that "if you receive a request for payment using Apple Gift Cards" in any other way, you should report it to the FTC.

I think there needs to be some sort of written test you to pass before you’re allowed anywhere near an internet connection.

I love that. I totally agree with you.