Amazon Ends Wallet App Beta Program, but Still No Sign of Apple Pay Loyalty Rewards Program
Amazon today ended the beta for its Amazon Wallet app, approximately six months after the company launched it last summer. The company began sending emails last night to those signed up for the beta, announcing the company would be shutting it down and removing the Wallet app from Google Play and Amazon's own Appstore (via CNET).
Unlike Apple's new Apple Pay payments service that ties directly to credit and debit cards, Amazon Wallet focused on gift and loyalty cards that users could manage and store within the app for use in physical stores or online. Amazon did not confirm whether the Wallet app might be revived in the future, but did mention it was a learning experience for the company as a whole.
"We have learned a great deal from the introduction of the Wallet and will look for ways to apply these lessons in the future as we continue to innovate on behalf of our customers," Amazon spokesman Tom Cook said in a statement.
The company has been far more than an online marketplace for a few years now, throwing its hat into the ring of everything from streaming devices to personal voice assistants. But it hasn't been clear sailing either, especially with the Fire Phone, which debuted last summer. The phone received mediocre reviews and has seen a series of price drops in an attempt to sell more units.
Loyalty programs are currently one aspect missing from Apple Pay, but the company has been rumored to be planning a rewards-focused loyalty program for the service. Reports late last year hinted at a holiday launch date for the service, though the rumors failed to come true.
Apple's loyalty program is rumored to see Apple partner with various companies, from retailers to major hotel chains, to provide customers who use Apple Pay at their locations with various rewards. Though Apple Pay is still a fairly new service, its continued growth amongst both customers and partners mean a rewards-style program could quickly prove valuable for consumers and help drive even more usage.
Popular Stories
In addition to updating many of its existing products, Apple is expected to unveil five all-new products this year, including a smart home hub, a Face ID doorbell, a MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, a foldable iPhone, and augmented reality glasses.
Below, we have recapped rumored features for each product.
Smart Home Hub
Apple home hub (concept)
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub should...
Apple is working on a small, wearable AI pin equipped with multiple cameras, a speaker, and microphones, reports The Information. If it actually launches, the AI pin will likely run the new Siri chatbot that Apple plans to unveil in iOS 27.
The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape. It has an aluminum and glass shell, and two cameras at the...
Apple is expected to release MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips soon, but you might want to pass on them, as bigger changes are around the corner.
It has been reported that the MacBook Pro will be receiving a major redesign in late 2026 or in 2027. Six new features have been rumored so far, including an OLED display, touch capabilities, a Dynamic Island, M6 Pro and M6 Max chips...
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest.
Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
For now, rumors have settled on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max featuring a smaller Dynamic Island, and now a leaker has revealed its alleged size.
iPhone 18 Pro with a smaller Dynamic Island (mockup via Ice Universe)
The account "Ice Universe" today claimed the Dynamic Island cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro models will be approximately 35% narrower than it is on the iPhone 17 Pro models. ...
