Apple stops accepting credit & debit card payments; methods revised for Indian users

Apple users are no longer allowed to make transactions with their credit or debit cards for purchasing an application or availing of services in India. As a result of the new guidelines from the Reserve Bank of India, Apple cannot receive recurring payments via users' credit or debit cards in the country. Keep reading to know more about what Apple has to say on the issue and what are the working modes of payment for Apple users in India. 

As per a support page published on 18 April 2022, users have to add funds to their Apple ID balance to continue their subscriptions. Apple mentions that "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." Adding to it, the company says, "To continue enjoying your subscriptions, you can pay with your Apple ID balance." For the uninitiated, users have to add money to their Apple ID balance via the services mentioned below. 

Supported payments method for purchases on Apple App Store in India

• Apple ID balance (from adding funds)
• Net banking (adding funds only)
• UPI (adding funds only)

From now on, Apple users have to set up a new payment method, other than their credit and debit cards. As mentioned above, they can continue their subscriptions made via the Apple App Store with the help of Apple ID Balance and add funds to their Apple ID with the help of net banking or UPI. While this might cause some inconvenience for users, it is imperative for companies to fulfil the requirements presented by the Reserve Bank of India in order to function in the country. 

In related news, details about the upcoming Apple Watch SE 2 have surfaced online. According to a new report by iDropNews, Apple is working on a new Watch SE. The publication has learned the information from "people familiar with the matter" and it states that Apple could launch a new model in the lineup this year, at its September launch event. It is important to mention that like every year, Apple is expected to launch the regular Apple Watch Series' successor as well, which would be the Watch Series 8 this year.