Apple posts Cards app for iOS

Apple has also released, as promised, its brand new iOS app for mailing gorgeous cards, right from the palm of your hand. The Cards app, according to Apple:

The new Cards app from Apple lets you create and mail beautifully crafted cards personalized with your own text and photos — right from your iPhone or iPod touch. Take a quick snapshot and with a few taps and swipes, an elegant letterpress card is on its way to any address in the world. Each card is just $2.99 when sent within the U.S. and $4.99 when sent to or from anywhere else. And that includes postage.

The killer feature? If you mail your card within the United States, Apple will slap their own custom-designed stamp and use the United States Postal Service Intelligent Mail barcode to send you a notification the day the card is due to arrive – so you know when you’re about to make someone’s day. The Cards app is available free of charge from the App Store here. Our international readers may want to wait a bit until the program propagates throughout all regional iTunes Stores. Release notes after the break.

The new Cards app from Apple lets you create and mail beautifully crafted cards personalized with your own text and photos — right from your iPhone or iPod touch. Take a quick snapshot and with a few taps and swipes, an elegant thank you note or “wish-you-were-here” card is on its way to any address in the world. Choose from 21 designs and customize your card with a personal message and photo. Then select an address from your Contacts and place your order in seconds. All your cards are saved automatically, so it’s easy to send an invitation or birth announcement to more than one person.

Custom letterpress cards
• Cards combine a centuries-old letterpress technique with your digital text and photos
• Each card is crafted from 100 percent cotton paper and imprinted with an elegant debossed design
• Choose from 21 designs for six occasions: Thank You, Holiday, New Baby, Birthday, Love, and Travel
• Customize the placeholder text for any occasion, such as an anniversary or graduation
• Add a photo to your card or send one with just text

Location integration
• If you select one of the Travel designs, your card automatically displays the name of your current location
• Choose a photo with GPS data, and the card shows the name of the place where the photo was taken

Prepaid postage included
• U.S. customers can send a card within the U.S. for $2.99 including postage
• Send a card anywhere else in the world for $4.99 including postage
• Select an address from your Contacts and easily personalize it — from Mr. Johnny Appleseed to The Appleseed Family, for example
• To place your order, simply enter your Apple ID password
• In the U.S., your card will include our own Apple-designed postage


Delivery notification
• Cards mailed to U.S. addresses make use of the United States Postal Service Intelligent Mail® barcode
• On the day your card is to be delivered, you’ll receive a notification on your iPhone or iPod touch

Card history
• All your cards are automatically saved and can be viewed in a history list
• You can resend any card to another recipient — perfect for when you have a lot of friends to thank or you want to spread the word about the newest member of your family

Total order price includes postage. For orders with a U.S. billing address, sales tax will be added to the order price. For orders with a non-U.S. billing address, the order price will include applicable VAT.