Apple Announces 'Apple Pay' Mobile Payment Solution, Enabled at Over 220,000 U.S. Merchants

[MacRumors]

At a special media event today, Apple announced its new Apple Pay payment solution for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which utilizes the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a new "Secure Element" functionality, and the built-in NFC antenna in conjunction with a credit card stored on iTunes. Apple Pay will also be compatible with the just-announced Apple Watch.

To make a payment, users hold the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus to a receiver while holding the Touch ID home button. Apple states that card numbers will only be stored or shared in Secure Element, and if an iPhone is ever lost or stolen, Find my iPhone can suspend all payments. Apple is also touting privacy, stating that it does not record what users bought or how much they paid. Cashiers also do not see a name, credit card number, or security code.

"Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you're using Apple Pay in a store, restaurant or other merchant, cashiers will no longer see your name, credit card number or security code, helping to reduce the potential for fraud," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "Apple doesn't collect your purchase history, so we don't know what you bought, where you bought it or how much you paid for it. And if your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can use Find My iPhone to quickly suspend payments from that device."

Apple Pay will first launch in the United States next month as an update to iOS 8 and will be compatible with American Express, Mastercard, and Visa credit and debit cards, with Citi, Bank of America, Capital One, Wells Fargo, and Chase also listed as partners.

Apple highlights that the program will work with over 220,000 U.S. retail stores, including Walgreens, Duane Reade, Macy's, Nike, Bloomingdales, Staples, Subway, McDonalds, and more. Apple will also launch a new Apple Pay API for developers to integrate the system into their apps.

Article Link: Apple Announces 'Apple Pay' Mobile Payment Solution, Enabled at Over 220,000 U.S. Merchants

 

[johnnnw]

I hate to be that guy but it's pretty funny seeing people on twitter saying this is "godlike" when NFC has been around for a LONG time.

I own no Android products but it's still annoying how blind people are.

 

[reclusive46]

Why roll it out in the US first where contactless use is pretty much non-existent? Contactelss usage and acceptance is much higher in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

 

[AFPoster]

Awesome. Now I can cancel my OnlyCoin orders because that's now useless. Chip and Pin as well is in for a fight.

 

[Lazy]

Why roll it out in the US first where contactless use is pretty much non-existent? Contactelss usage and acceptance is much higher in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

To have it close to home where it will be easier to refine it and work out any issues before a world-wide deployment.

 

[Ichabod.]

The ApplePay API looks very promising.

 

[swarmster]

I hate to be that guy but it's pretty funny seeing people on twitter saying this is "godlike" when NFC has been around for a LONG time.

I own no Android products but it's still annoying how blind people are.

The companies that put Android on their phones may have stuck an NFC chip in one, but that's a long shot from what Apple's showing here.

Of course, a lot remains to be seen.

 

[RoelJuun]

I bet it takes a lot of time before Apple Pay is available in let's say The Netherlands. I guess it's time to migrate ;-).

 

[reclusive46]

To have it close to home where it will be easier to refine it and work out any issues before a world-wide deployment.

The US seems like a stupid area to test it as the contacteless technology in the US is going to be decommissioned over the new couple of years. The US uses contactless MSD, which is basically magnetic stripe data wireless transmitted whereas the rest of the world uses EMV contactless (Same standard as Chip and PIN and Chip and Signature cards). EMV contactless is also a worldwide standard so there really shouldn't be any major bugs to work out.

----------

I bet it takes a lot of time before Apple Pay is available in let's say The Netherlands. I guess it's time to migrate ;-).

I can't imagine it being in the Netherlands for a long long time. Maestro and VPAY are pretty limited platforms and the international signature networks American Express, MasterCard and Visa are pretty much non-existent.

 

[blackhand1001]

The companies that put Android on their phones may have stuck an NFC chip in one, but that's a long shot from what Apple's showing here.

Of course, a lot remains to be seen.

Are you kidding? This is pretty much an exact clone of Google Wallet which came out in 2011. I have been using it almost daily since 2011 and I live in the US where according to some people where there isn't any contactless payments.

 

[Tankmaze]

Until this thing available worldwide as soon as possible, it would be vaporware.

Apple need to moves fast to make apple pay work globally.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I don't know about you but everywhere I shop except for Walmart and gas pumps has NFC, Walmart is even installing it so....that just leaves the gas pump.

 

[swarmster]

Are you kidding? This is pretty much an exact clone of Google Wallet which came out in 2011. I have been using it almost daily since 2011 and I live in the US where according to some people where there isn't any contactless payments.

Not acting as a middle-man or tracking purchases, not sharing credit card numbers or details with retailers, actual partnerships with real world banks and retailers. Outside a few enthusiasts, I'm not sure I've ever heard of anyone using Google Wallet (okay, they gave me $10 off at Newegg once).

It remains to be seen whether this will take off, but Apple's at least making an effort in positioning it. Google Wallet's felt like the kind of Google endless-beta that might suddenly disappear any quarter now.

 

[hoofhrtd1254]

I think the reason Google Wallet hasn't taken off is because at the inception, not many merchants accepted NFC. Now though, I have been using it @Walgreens, gas stations, cvs, soda machines and hopefully soon Walmart. I do think it is great to have Apple pushing it now too though so more merchants get on board.

 

[nagromme]

Are you kidding? This is pretty much an exact clone of Google Wallet which came out in 2011. I have been using it almost daily since 2011 and I live in the US where according to some people where there isn't any contactless payments.

"Exact clone?" Google Wallet has the Apple secure storage chip, the same arrangements with banks and cards, the same developer support, and TouchID? And had all that since 2011? Amazing

 

[HitchHykr]

Until this thing available worldwide as soon as possible, it would be vaporware.

Apple need to moves fast to make apple pay work globally.

I don't think you understand what vaporware means...You may not be able to use it but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

[genovelle]

Are you kidding? This is pretty much an exact clone of Google Wallet which came out in 2011. I have been using it almost daily since 2011 and I live in the US where according to some people where there isn't any contactless payments.

So, Google Wallet uses a secure Touch ID system to verify your identity?

 

[alent1234]

I hate to be that guy but it's pretty funny seeing people on twitter saying this is "godlike" when NFC has been around for a LONG time.

I own no Android products but it's still annoying how blind people are.

i have a GN3 and a Galaxy S3, NFC on both and shut off. it's useless on those phones

 

[the8thark]

I hate to be that guy but it's pretty funny seeing people on twitter saying this is "godlike" when NFC has been around for a LONG time.

I own no Android products but it's still annoying how blind people are.

You have a point. Best to iron out the bugs in a country that does not use this much, the USA before moving it to countries that use it a lot like Australia.

And the god like part is not inventing it. The god like part is getting it accepted and used everywhere.

 

[coolspot18]

Why roll it out in the US first where contactless use is pretty much non-existent? Contactelss usage and acceptance is much higher in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

Probably because some Americans think this is "god-like" ... where as the rest of the world is thinking "about time..."

 

[cloudyo]

This has nothing to do with NFC being new. This payment solution is the first of its kind. It happens to use NFC but thats not the point.

 

[olowott]

Love the idea

 

[gtstricky]

Just got a refund on my never shipped Coin. Apple pay will crush that little attempt.

 

[coolspot18]

This has nothing to do with NFC being new. This payment solution is the first of its kind. It happens to use NFC but thats not the point.

It's nice and convenient, but still reinvents the wheel when there is already Visa Paywave for Mobile (and the MasterCard / Debit equivalent).

Just got a refund on my never shipped Coin. Apple pay will crush that little attempt.

Probably decided to cut their losses than to embarrass themselves with a two or three decade too late product.

 

[numlock]

Until this thing available worldwide as soon as possible, it would be vaporware.

Apple need to moves fast to make apple pay work globally.

im still waiting on them to add directions maps in my city so