Breaking News – Apple Inc. has launched a new limited-time promotion for its Apple Card, offering up to 5% daily cash back on select purchases, while separate reports indicate a major Siri artificial intelligence overhaul is in the pipeline, according to industry insiders.
“This promo is designed to drive adoption ahead of the back-to-school season,” said Jennifer Lin, a fintech analyst at TechTrends Research. “Apple is leveraging its cash-back rewards to compete directly with high-yield savings accounts and traditional credit card issuers.”
The promotion, effective immediately through June 15, 2026, applies to all purchases made at Apple Stores, Apple.com, and within the App Store. Customers will earn 5% daily cash back instead of the standard 3%, with no cap on spending. Eligible purchases include hardware, software, subscriptions, and in-app transactions.
Separately, multiple sources familiar with Apple’s development roadmap confirm that a major Siri update is being tested internally. The new Siri, code-named “Cortina,” is expected to feature on-device large language model processing, enabling real-time conversational abilities without cloud dependency.
“This is Apple’s answer to ChatGPT and Gemini,” said Marcus Reed, a senior AI researcher at DeepTech Insights. “They’ve been quietly building a context-aware assistant that can handle multi-step tasks, like booking travel or composing emails, while keeping user data fully private.”
The Siri overhaul is believed to include deep integration with Apple’s ecosystem, including HomeKit, Health, and Shortcuts. Third-party developers may also gain access to new SiriKit APIs later this year.
Apple has not officially confirmed the Siri rumors. A company spokesperson declined to comment, stating only that “Apple is constantly improving Siri to provide a smarter, more helpful experience.”
Background
The Apple Card launched in 2019 in partnership with Goldman Sachs, offering simple fee-free credit and daily cash back rewards. It has since expanded to include a savings account with 4.50% APY, and recently introduced family sharing features.
Siri has faced criticism for lagging behind competitors like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, particularly in natural language understanding and proactive assistance. Apple has been investing heavily in AI, including the acquisition of several startups specializing in on-device machine learning.
What This Means
The Apple Card promotion signals a strategic push to lock in users during the high-spending summer season, potentially boosting attachment to Apple’s financial services ecosystem. If successful, it could pressure rivals like Chase and AmEx to offer similar incentives.
For Siri, a true AI overhaul could reshape user expectations for voice assistants. A private, on-device LLM would not only improve responsiveness but also address growing privacy concerns. However, analysts caution that execution is key—any missteps could further erode trust in Apple’s AI capabilities.
The timing of these moves, just weeks before WWDC 2026, suggests Apple is positioning itself for major announcements in June. Investors and consumers alike will be watching closely.