Apple Restores Card Payments for App Store in India After 4 Years
Apple has resumed card payments for Apple Account purchases in India after a four-year pause, following adaptation to local payment rules.
Apple has relaunched card payment support for Apple Account purchases in India, ending a four-year absence by adapting its systems to comply with the country's payments regulatory framework. The tech giant is rolling out the capability in phases, signaling a deliberate, staged approach to restoring the feature for millions of iPhone and iPad users across the country.
The move marks a significant shift for Indian Apple customers who have been unable to use credit or debit cards directly for App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, and other Apple Account transactions since the feature was pulled. During that period, users were largely forced to rely on alternative payment methods to access Apple's digital services and content.
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India's payments landscape is governed by strict Reserve Bank of India regulations, including rules around recurring payments and card tokenization that have historically posed challenges for global technology companies. Apple's decision to adapt to these local requirements rather than bypass them reflects the growing strategic importance of India as one of the world's fastest-growing smartphone markets.
The phased rollout approach suggests Apple is carefully testing infrastructure and compliance before making the feature universally available to all users. India has become an increasingly critical market for Apple, with the company expanding local manufacturing and reporting strong iPhone sales growth in the region in recent years.
The restoration of card payments is expected to meaningfully reduce friction for Indian consumers looking to subscribe to Apple services or make in-app purchases, potentially accelerating the company's services revenue growth in the market. Continue reading at Yahoo.
