Notice: Apple ID Balances in Singapore Cannot Be Spent Starting July 1

Starting on July 1, 2024, it will no longer be possible to spend an Apple ID balance in Singapore, according to an Apple support document spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Apple did not provide an explanation for this decision, but it appears to relate to new regulations introduced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. In general, gift cards are frequently involved in scams that defraud people.

Apple Giftcard Feature
Apple says that any App Store & iTunes gift cards added to an Apple ID balance before July 1 can still be used toward digital purchases until that deadline.

Apple will issue refunds to customers with a remaining Apple ID balance after the deadline:

After spending your balance is no longer possible, Apple will begin to automatically issue refunds for any remaining Apple ID balance to users in Singapore. If you have a balance, your money will be refunded to the default credit or debit card on file as a payment method for your Apple ID. You'll receive a confirmation email when Apple has processed your refund. Afterwards, it might take up to 30 days for your financial institution to show the refund in your account.

Apple already stopped selling gift cards in Singapore last year, and discontinuing Apple ID balances appears to be a related decision.

Apple Store gift cards are unaffected by this change, and they can continue to be used at the three Apple Store locations in Singapore.

For more important details, read Apple's support document.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Second Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
macOS Sequoia Night Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1. Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb 3

iPhone SE 4 Said to Feature 48MP Rear Lens, 12MP TrueDepth Camera

Monday December 9, 2024 4:48 am PST by
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report. ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of...
m4 mac mini hands on

Cloud-Based M4 and M4 Pro Mac Mini Models Now Available

Wednesday December 11, 2024 7:34 am PST by
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services. The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 With Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri ChatGPT and More

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

MacBook Pros With OLED Displays Won't Have a Notch, Roadmap Shows

Monday December 9, 2024 7:36 am PST by
Apple plans to remove the notch from the MacBook Pro in a few years from now, according to a roadmap shared by research firm Omdia. The roadmap shows that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2026 will have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, instead of a notch. It is unclear if there would simply be a pinhole in the display, or if Apple would expand the iPhone's...

Top Rated Comments

vegetassj4 Avatar
9 months ago
“no longer be possible to spend an Apple ID balance…”

Well, it isn’t named Singarich….

[Click to view video attachment]
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
9 months ago

Starting July 1, it will no longer be possible to spend an Apple ID balance in Singapore, according to an Apple support document spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Apple did not provide an explanation for this decision, but it appears to relate to new regulations introduced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Apple already stopped selling gift cards in Singapore last year, and discontinuing Apple ID balances appears to be a related decision.
Too many instances of gift card scams and elderly abuse

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/victims-lose-over-98k-to-itunes-and-google-play-gift-card-e-mail-scams-targeting

https://mothership.sg/2020/11/elderly-man-yishun-7-eleven-itunes-gift-cards-scam/

https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/once-bitten-twice-not-shy-woman-loses-over-15k-online-love-scams

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwan-familymart-employee-saves-singapore-post-grad-student-from-love-scammer

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/police-warn-scams-delivery-couriers-itunes-cards-remittance-2675771


Google stopped selling Google Play gift cards in 2020 for the same reason.



Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RealE Avatar
9 months ago

The US should do the same, gift cards are mostly used for scams here too.
Used in scams, yes. More than 50% of gift card usage being scams, doubtful.

It is frustrating that bad actors in this world ruin things for the rest of us.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rafterman Avatar
9 months ago

As long as Canada doesn't. I use Apple Gift cards all the time. I know lots of others use them too. They also make great gifts.
Agree, ridiculous to kill it for everyone.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacHeritage Avatar
9 months ago

The US should do the same, gift cards are mostly used for scams here too. I'd bet it's the same in the EU.
As long as Canada doesn't. I use Apple Gift cards all the time. I know lots of others use them too. They also make great gifts.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)