So there are 4 distinct apple-based drinks sold in the US... and we do not call apple cider apple juice, or vice versa... except in the weird case of sparkling apple cider, which I suppose is some bad joke by the manufacturers
1. Apple juice - filtered juice with added sugar or corn syrup and various other bad preservatives
2. Apple cider - juice of pressed apples and nothing else
3. "Sparkling" apple cider - apple juice just like (1), but carbonated and even sweeter
4. Hard cider - alcoholic apple cider on varying scales of sweetness/dryness, just like Europe. This is the only alcoholic beverage made with apples... no one makes pommeau or Calvados here, sadly