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Ahead of the launch of the iPhone X, people wondered how Apple Pay would work without a Touch ID Home button for confirming payments, but as it turns out, the payments service isn't too much different.

We went through the checkout process with Apple Pay to give MacRumors readers who haven't yet had a chance to use the system a look at just how it works.


To use Apple Pay on iPhone X, you will, of course, need to have Apple Pay set up with a credit or a debit card in the Wallet app.

When you're at a store that accepts Apple Pay, the Apple Pay process is more or less the same as it was with Touch ID, but some of the gestures are different.

When you're ready to check out, press the side button on the iPhone X twice to bring up the default Apple Pay card and authenticate with Face ID. Then hold your iPhone X down to the reader to confirm payment. If you don't want to use your default card, make sure to swap it out with a tap before your iPhone is next to the card reader.

The double-click setting that opens up the Wallet app should be enabled by default, but if it's not, you can turn it on by going to Settings > Wallet > Apple Pay > and toggling on the Double-Click option. It's a feature you're going to want to have activated if you use Apple Pay a lot, because it speeds up the checkout process.

Without double-click turned on, you'll need to hold your iPhone by an NFC-equipped reader to bring up the Apple Pay interface before raising it back up to confirm with Face ID, adding another step to the process.

All in all, Apple Pay on iPhone X is essentially as quick and as easy to use Touch ID once you get used to how it works, but it will take a few payments to become accustomed to the new process if you're used to the Home button.

Article Link: iPhone X: Using Apple Pay With Face ID
 
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jakeowens

macrumors regular
Nov 28, 2009
100
503
Vancouver, BC, Canada
I think the pre-authenticate works well, but in general I find the process a little less smooth. Before, all I had to do was hold my phone my phone to the card reader with my thumb already on touch ID and it was instant. Now I have to double click, then wait for face ID to authenticate (Which is not always instant) and then tap. Just a few more things to do.
 

Eorlas

macrumors 65816
Feb 10, 2010
1,307
2,041
FaceID @ checkout > TouchID

Rather than doing the authentication right at the same moment as purchase, you can pre-authenticate and once the reader is ready the purchase happens through your phone. With TouchID, if it didnt work for any reason this just took longer and held up lines.
 

CanadianGuy

macrumors regular
Jul 3, 2007
117
422
Ontario, Canada
I find Apple Pay on iPhone X way faster than on my previous phone (6s Plus). The process is smoother, plus the terminals in store seem to be able to read the NFC signal much easier. There's less moving the phone around to get it in the right place.

Plus, the double tap instead of using the home button means there's less false triggers where the phone tries to connect to NFC when you're not actually at a check out.
 

RealKrS

macrumors regular
Sep 27, 2007
113
425
After using Face ID since iPhone X launch, I find myself very annoyed when it fails me (granted not too often but more often than Touch ID). I have to try again maybe 3 times out of 10. Since Apple Pay with Touch ID already made me a little nervous at times, at the register, Apple Pay with Face ID is something I'm not prepared to chance yet..
 
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johnediii

macrumors regular
Aug 4, 2014
102
261
Pulling the phone out of my pocket, double clicking a button, holding it up to my face, then back down to the reader seems a lot more inconvenient that pulling the phone out of my pocket with my thumb already on the Home button for TouchID and moving it straight to the reader. This has worked flawlessly for me since my first TouchID enabled iPhone. I suppose we all have to get used to it after this year, though. Unless of course Apple pays attention and quits with this trying to force us into gimmicky tech that is not as convenient to use. But why should we expect Apple to change now, they've been doing this for decades.
 

arkitect

macrumors 604
Sep 5, 2005
7,371
16,101
Bath, United Kingdom
On behalf of all Londoners - please don’t try doing this on the underground.
Yup.
Fingerprint ID worked really smoothly on the tube… this Face ID… I have my doubts about.
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It’s not something I’ve had a problem with living in the UK. NFC payments were already widely available for years before Apple Pay came along.
Same here. I have never asked to use ApplePay specifically. I just ask to use the "Contactless"… never fails.
 
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