CurrentC, a mobile payment product of the Merchant Exchange (MCX) group, a consortium of approximately 40 retailers, received a lot of criticism when a number of its retailers abruptly decided to block the NFC technology inside payment terminals at retail stores to shut off access to the competing Apple Pay, Softcard, and Google Wallet services. On the offensive, MCX CEO Dekkers Davidson sat down for an interview to explain why both consumers and retailers always have a choice and hypes up the benefits of CurrentC.

On choice, Davidson said in his interview with The Verge that both retailers and consumers have options, drawing parallel with the initial iPhone exclusivity on AT&T in the U.S.:

I would observe parenthetically that I don't think too many people complained when Apple went to market with the exclusive that you could only buy it at AT&T, which was the case for a while, and I think that was a reasonable business decision that Apple made, and they did what was in their best interest, and while Verizon customers may have been disappointed, they has [sic] made a choice as well.... There are consequences, so if you decide to not keep the agreement that you made with the other merchants we're not going to put a lot of energy in helping get those merchants launched in the near term.

The hard choices that the retail partners have had to make also impacts their businesses as well. Most notably, Walt Mossberg of Re/Code noted that he is taking his business to establishments that accept Apple Pay:

But lately, I'm not feeling very happy with CVS, because of a business decision it made that curtailed my choice of how I could pay in its stores with my own credit cards. In fact, I've been taking more of my shopping down the road to CVS's main rival, Walgreens. Why? Because CVS has abruptly cut off my ability to pay for my purchases on my expensive new iPhone 6 with the first really excellent mobile phone payment system I've seen.

So how does Apple Pay stack up to CurrentC? According to Davidson, CurrentC could save you time at gas stations that have separate gas prices for cash or credit purchases. Typically, if you pay by cash, you'd have to go inside, but CurrentC could potentially make life easier with Bluetooth LE.

So here's a world that is possible: you can drive up to the pump, using low energy Bluetooth, the pump can actually recognize that it's Ben who's pulled up, and if you are on the CurrentC network, and you have pre-authorized a certain payment method, the merchant then has the opportunity to adjust and roll back the price at the pump to either a cash price or something that's much lower than you'd pay with the current credit network.

Davidson highlights that CurrentC also offers more in terms of integrating coupons, loyalty rewards, and credits to purchases:

I also can see the points are taken out, and also the rewards when they're added in. You can do the same thing with offers, the same thing with coupons, which is you're walking into a store, you have a coupon for Pampers, that says two for one, and you can push the button and activate that offer, at the point of sale it's done automatically.

But if Davidson truly believed in the value that CurrentC serves in the market, maybe MCX could do well to remove the exclusivity clause. Mossberg says:

I simply believe that people who respect their customers and have faith in their own technology products should welcome competition, and that consumer choice should be a paramount value in retailing.

Source: The Verge; Re/Code

If you used Apple Pay to pay for something in-store but then decide that you need to return it, the process in most cases is just as easy as purchasing the item in the first place. In most cases, you won't even need anything but your iPhone that's set up with Apple Pay and your thumb print.

How to get refunded for an in-store Apple Pay purchase

1. Give the merchant your receipt and tell them what items you'd like to return. They can start processing it just like any other return.
2. When asked, go ahead and tap your iPhone just as you did to pay and verify the return with Touch ID.

Alternately you can also give the cashier your Device Account Number so they can look up the transaction that way if they need to.

1. Launch Passbook on your iPhone and choose the card you originally paid with.
2. Tap on the info button in the lower right hand corner.
3. Give the cashier the last four digits of the Device Account Number— it's towards the bottom.

Keep in mind that some merchants may require an ID in order to process a return, especially if it's a higher dollar transaction. So bring that with you too, just as you would with any regular credit card purchase.

That's it! In most instances, a return should work with Apple Pay the same as it would if you had swiped a regular card. The only difference is that instead of the merchant having to swipe your card again in order to put money back on (some merchants don't even have to do this anymore), you'll just have to tap your iPhone on the payment terminal again and verify the return. Just be sure to check with your merchant on how long it'll take in order for the refund to actually show up on your credit card.

Credit card transaction rates are still a contentious point with merchants and retailers and newer digital wallets like Apple Pay and the forthcoming CurrentC developed by the consortium known as MCX, which counts Rite Aid, CVS, and Walmart among its members, are caught in the middle. The issue brought up at the recent Money 2020 conference is how systems like Apple Pay handle card transaction rates between in-store and in-app purchases, and it was an issue raised by Walmart executive Mike Cook during a Q&A session.

Walmart's Cook brought up an interesting point during his question, stating that if Apple Pay is secure, then why would merchants, like his company Walmart, be charged a credit card present rate, which is a much lower transaction fee, for in-store purchases through NFC, but then for in-app purchases be charged a higher transaction fee designated by a card not present rate.

The Visa exec responded to that question stating that it worked out that way because in-store transactions utilize one system while in-app purchases utilize another system.

Re/Code went as far as saying that the discrepancy between credit card transaction rates is a reason "why Walmart will never accept Apple Pay."

When you watch the interaction between Cook, one of the biggest champions of MCX, and Visa's McCarthy, this should come as no surprise. Nor should the realization that Walmart will never accept Apple Pay, the service that the credit card networks support.

As a member of MCX, Walmart's CurrentC standard, which competes with Apple Pay, would tap into bank accounts, rather than credit cards, for lower transaction rates than what credit cards charge. MCX denies that credit card rates and fees are reasons why it doesn't support Apple Pay, choosing instead to play up loyalty rewards and ease of use.

Source: Re/Code

After Apple introduced the iPhone 5S last year, I wrote a piece on Medium about Touch ID and accessibility. In it, I posit that the fingerprint scanner would prove to be a huge usability win for users with disabilities because unlocking one's phone was no longer a chore. Over the next 12 months with my iPhone 5S — and now over the last month with my iPhone 6— I've found my prediction to be correct: more than improving on security and convenience, Touch ID is a terrific accessibility tool.

These same exact sentiments are applicable to Apple Pay. I've used Apple Pay twice since iOS 8.1 was released three weeks ago — once at the Apple Store, once at McDonald's — and have found it to not only be "easy, secure, and private", but I've also found it to be a great accessibility tool.

No longer am I forced to go through my wallet, trying to find the credit card I want to use, and then struggle to swipe the card through the point of sale terminal. (Not only is it difficult to see which card I want, but because of the reduced strength and dexterity in my hands caused by my cerebral palsy, it's even more difficult to pull out the card and swipe it.)

Instead, all I need to do is pull my phone out of my pocket, put my thumb on the Home button, and I'm done. There's no eye strain, no dexterity issues, nothing. Just tag and go; it's fantastic.

I'm not alone in my struggles to use my physical card to pay. Jason Snell recently forwarded to me an email sent to him by a reader who expressed his excitement Apple Pay. That's because, as a blind iPhone user, Apple's mobile payment system makes in-store card transactions more accessible, while also giving the visually impaired a sense of empowerment and independence.

It's worth noting that in discussing Touch ID and Apple Pay here, there's a common refrain: "it's a great accessibility tool". This is by no means coincidental. That both technologies have such obvious merit in terms of accessibility speaks volumes of just how well-designed and well-executed Apple has made them. Touch ID and Apple Pay are mass market, marquee features --- they're not designed for accessibility's sake in the same way dedicated Accessibility options are — but they work so well as intended that everyone can use them with ease, regardless of any visual or physical impairment.

Here's what John Gruber wrote on Daring Fireball regarding Apple Pay's accessibility:

Apple Pay doesn't need a special mode for accessibility. It's just so simple and easy that the regular mode is highly accessible. And the things that make it accessible are the same things that make it so quick and convenient for those without accessibility needs. That's good design.

I would add one word to that last sentence, because it's not just good design. Apple Pay (and Touch ID) are, in my mind, pillars of good, inclusive design. It puts everyone on a level playing field without, as Gruber points out, special modes or settings.

That Apple Pay on the iPhones 6 (and soon the Apple Watch) works so effortlessly that it instills feelings of empowerment and independence for users with disabilities is profound.

It remains to be seen if Apple Pay will be the game-changer for the mainstream as Tim Cook extols it will be. But it's worth recognizing that Apple Pay is already a success with the disabled — and it's all thanks to its inherent design. That's no small feat, and I think stories like these are positive steps towards breeding curiosity and moving toward critical mass.

The fight between merchants and the credit card industry continues as the Canadian government is mulling over a proposal, which could be announced as early as this week, to give retailers the ability to reject Apple Pay (and mobile payments in general—if and when they're available in the country), The Wall Street Journal reported today.

The source of the conflict stems from the potential for an increase in transaction processing fees that merchants could incur when accepting mobile payments. Though retailers currently pay the same transaction fee that is typically associated with physical card swipe, the fear is that card companies could raise fees in the future after mobile payments become more mainstream.

While the rules reportedly wouldn't keep credit card companies from increasing fees, the proposal would allow retailers to pick and choose which forms of payment they are willing to accept.

A quote from the drafted document, obtained by The Wall Street Journal, explains the thinking behind the proposal:

"Should fees set by the payment card networks in respect of contactless payments made from a mobile device increase relative to card-based contactless payments, payment card networks will develop the technical specifications to ensure that merchant acceptance of contactless payments made from a mobile device can be canceled at the point of sale without disabling other forms of contactless payments acceptance."

News of this proposal comes after recent reports that CVS and Rite Aid disabled mobile payments last month in favor of upcoming payment alternative, CurrentC.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

You can now watch the full 30-minute interview that Apple CEO Tim Cook gave where he talked about Apple Watch, Apple Pay, and the discontinuation of the iPod Classic. The interview was conducted at the WSJ.D Live conference and now the Journal has posted the full interview.

Source: WSJ

Apple Pay doesn't just make it easy to purchase items in-store and online, but also to keep track of your purchases. You can view recent transactions in Passbook, and, depending on whether or not your credit card and bank support it, a longer transactional history in Settings. Here's how!

How to view recent Apple Pay transactions with Passbook

1. Launch the Passbook app on your iPhone or iPad that you use Apple Pay with.
2. Tap on the card you'd like to view recent transactions for.
3. Any recent transactions should appear directly underneath the card.
4. Tap the Info button in the bottom right corner of any card to view more transactions.

The area beneath Passbook cards seems to only show transactions from the last 24 hours. If you haven't made a transaction in the last 24 hours, it shows the last transaction you made.

How to view detailed Apple Pay transactions with Settings

You can view a more detailed transaction history in Settings, if your credit card and bank support it. (If not, it will be blank.)

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad that you use Apple Pay with.
2. Tap on Passbook & Apple Pay.
3. Tap on the card you'd like to view a transaction history for.
4. You should see current transactions in the main view if your cardholder supports it.

If your bank as a stand-alone iOS app as well, you may also be able to tap on the Open button next to the app name in order to view complete account details, make payments, and more.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Alibaba Executive Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai revealed that the Chinese e-commerce giant was currently in discussion with Apple over a payment processing solution tailored for China. According to Tsai:

Right now, I think what we can say is that this is focused on the China market for Apple. We are positive about the potential cooperation, but it depends on the details being worked out.

At the WSLD Live conference last month, Tim Cook mentioned that he was interested in working with Alibaba, a sentiment shared by the retailer's founder Jack Ma.

The partnership between the two companies would likely result in the integration of Alipay, Alibaba's electronic payments service, with Apple Pay. Such a deal would allow iPhone users in China to pay using Apple Pay, with Alibaba's systems handling the back-end services. The details between the collaboration are still being worked out, and should be finalized over the coming months.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

If you've been itching to pay for some office supplies with your phone, you're now in luck: Staples officially supports Apple Pay as of today. Support for the payment platform is now available at all 1,400 stores across the U.S. as well as Staples' mobile app.

Staples has always been listed as an Apple Pay partner, but the retailer has been labeled (along with a few others) as "coming later this year." With the addition of Staples, the number of officially supported retailers is up to 35, with a few others still expected to come on board later this year:

• Anthropologie
• Free People
• Sephora
• Urban Outfitters
• Walt Disney World

Source: Apple Insider

Calling Apple Pay a potential breakthrough that takes mobile payments mainstream, Citibank chief innovation officer Deborah Hopkins bullishly said in a recent interview that Apple delivered a solution that people would use. Noting that we've had NFC for seven or eight years now, Apple Pay may seem like it's a late entry into the game, but Hopkins goes on to say that we're finally solving something for customers rather than making it a fun thing of just tapping your phone.

In addition to being an Apple Pay partner, Citi is also an investor in Square. The success of Apple Pay could help bring awareness to other mobile payment investments, including Square, that Citi has in its portfolio.

It looks like Apple Pay is ushering in a new era for mobile payments, if reports from retailers are a sign of things to come. The New York Times is reporting today that many retailers have seen a substantial increase in mobile payment traffic in the three weeks since Apple's mobile payment platform launched.

As far as numbers are concerned, Whole Foods has reported that it has processed more than 150,000 Apple Pay transactions thus far. That's in addition to McDonald's claim that Apple Pay accounted for 50 percent of its mobile payment transactions. Similarly, Walgreens, a launch partner for Apple Pay, said that its mobile payment transactions have doubled since the service debuted.

Not only has Apple Pay surged in popularity since its launch, but it has served to drive increased adoption of other mobile wallet platforms as well. Softcard, a carrier-backed mobile payment platform, has reportedly seen increased use as well — most likely as a result of the high-profile attention that Apple has brought to the mobile payment landscape.

On the topic of Apple's brand-power, Denée Carrington, an analyst with Forrester Research, was quoted in the NYT as saying:

Quite frankly, a lot of it has to do with the strength of the Apple brand and how much merchants and customers love how easy the experience is. I'm not saying it's changing the landscape overnight. But this has never happened with other mobile wallets.

It will definitely be interesting to see where the mobile payments landscape goes in both the short and long-term as more retailers adopt the technology and consumers become more aware of its existence.

Source: The New York Times

After announcing an intent to work with Apple over payments processing in China, Alibaba Executive Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai shared further details over the discussions currently underway between both companies. Talking to the Wall Street Journal, Tsai said that Alipay providing the back-end services for Apple Pay in China would be the "obvious possibility." According to Tsai:

If people want to use Apple Pay in China, Apple would have certain restrictions and limitations on operating payment businesses in China. So we are thinking whether there is any opportunity for us to work together where Apple Pay and Alipay can somehow work together in China.

The senior executive touched upon the details that have to be worked out between the two companies:

There's a regulatory component. How can we help Apple on the regulatory side, because Alipay has the license to operate a payment business in China. There's also an operational component. If you are talking about Alipay as the back-end operation to support the front-end Apple Pay, how do the two systems work?

At the end of the day, you are funding the payment transactions from the Alipay account through Apple Pay, so that flow of money has to be very smooth. And there's a lot of technology involved.

Tsai also talked about the part Ant Financial would play in the process, as well as Alibaba's plans for the US market, future sustainability and more. Head to the link below to read the full interview.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Apple Pay— or Pay if you're fancy — is Apple's mobile payment service. It stores your credit and debit card information on a Secure Element and lets you use it to pay online via apps on the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, or iPad mini 3, or in-store via near-field communications (NFC) on the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. Authorization is handled by Touch ID or passcode, credit card information never leaves the device and is never synced to the cloud. One-time tokens are used when you pay so your real credit card information is never shared with developers or retailers. Best of all, it's not just secure — once it's setup, it's incredibly easy to use!

Apple Pay requirements and availability

Apple Pay is currently U.S. only, and while most major banks support it, not all do. Likewise, while the list of retailers that support Apple Pay in-store and online is growing, not everyone takes it yet. Finally, Apple Pay currently only works online with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 3, and in-store with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Here's the complete list:

• What you need and where you can use Apple Pay

How to quickly link your iTunes credit or debit card to Apple Pay

Apple makes it incredibly easy to get started with Apple Pay by letting you quickly link it to your existing iTunes credit or debit card. Your bank still has to support Apple Pay, of course but, if they do, you can setup both online and in-store mobile payments with just a few taps.

• How to quickly link your iTunes credit or debit card to Apple Pay

How to add additional credit or debit cards to Apple Pay

Apple Pay lets you make in-store purchases with your iPhone, and online purchases with your iPhone or iPad, with just a touch of the Home button or the tapping out of a passcode. It makes it easy to start ditching your wallet for your device. All you have to do is add your credit or debit cards.

• How to add additional credit or debit cards to Apple Pay

How to change your default credit or debit card for Apple Pay

Apple Pay lets you use multiple credit and debit cards, so you can easily switch between them when you want to make a transaction. The default credit or debit card, however, is always the fastest and easiest to use. So, you'll want to make that card the default. Luckily, Apple Pay makes that fast and easy to do as well.

• How to change your default credit or debit card for Apple Pay

How to manage your billing and shipping information for Apple Pay

Part of what makes Apple Pay so fast and easy for online purchases is that it knows exactly where to bill your and where to send your purchases. That saves you the effort of having to type them out each and every time you buy something. But it also means you need to keep them accurate and up to date. That way, when you buy all the things, they'll know just where to send them.

• How to manage your billing and shipping information for Apple Pay

How to view your recent transactions with Apple Pay

Apple Pay doesn't just make it easy to purchase items in-store and online, but also to keep track of your purchases. You can view recent transactions in Passbook, and, depending on whether or not your credit card and bank support it, a longer transactional history in Settings. Here's how!

• How to view your recent transactions with Apple Pay

How to return an purchase in-store with Apple Pay

Buying something in-store with Apple Pay is as easy as getting into NFC range and touching the Home button or tapping out the passcode. If you want to return your purchase — if you get the wrong size, the wrong brand, or simply change your mind — in most cases it's every bit as easy. And all you need is your iPhone.

• How to return an purchase in-store with Apple Pay

How to remove a credit or debit card from Apple Pay

Apple makes it easy to add any and all of your supported credit and debit cards to Apple Pay. If, however, you lose, cancel, or change a card for any reason, you'll need to remove it. Luckily, Apple makes it just as easy to to that.

• How to remove a credit or debit card from Apple Pay

How to remotely remove your credit or debit cards from Apple Pay

Apple Pay offers many security advantages, including single-use tokens and authentication via Touch ID fingerprint scan or pin code. However, if you lose your iPhone or iPad, you'll still want to remove any credit or debit cards that you've linked to it, just to be extra safe. Luckily, Apple and iCloud.com let you do just that secure and, best of all, remotely. Simply log in and wipe your cards away!

• How to remotely remove your payment cards from Apple Pay

How to get more help with iOS

Apple executive Eddy Cue met up with Rich DeMuro from The Tech Report to show off just how seamless and easy Apple Pay is to use for consumers. The service was used to not only purchase a new iPad from an Apple Store, but also products from other supporting establishments.

What was interesting to see was similar security measures in place for Apple Pay, which required a signature to purchase a pair of sunglasses. Cue explained that purchases over a certain amount (depending on the retailer) will be met with similar security steps to help combat fraud, just like you'd see with a credit card.

Interested to learn more about Apple Pay? Be sure to check out our in-depth guide.

Source: Apple Insider

Apple Pay is now available for more people to quickly pay for their groceries in a ton of stores in the southeastern US. That's due to a new agreement between Apple and Bi-Lo Holdings, the parent company of the BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie grocery stores chains.

The company stated:

Across its eight-state operating area, Apple Pay is available to BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie customers who carry iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. These users will be able to hold their iPhone 6 to the contactless reader at checkout and place their finger on the Touch ID to easily and safely pay.

Make sure you check out our ultimate guide to using Apple Pay if you are a new iPhone 6 owner and want to use it to pay for your next visit to the grocery store.

Source: Bi-Lo Holdings

It looks like BI-LO, Harveys, and Winn-Dixie aren't the only grocery stores getting in on the Apple Pay action today. Hundreds of other stores from a few different chains are also starting to support Apple's payment platform. Among the new entrants are the likes of Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, and United Food.

This is great news for consumers as Apple Pay continues its steady rollout. It's important to note, however, that the added stores are, for the most part, limited to specific regions:

• 180+ Jewel-Osco stores in the Chicago area
• 150+ Shaws and Star Market stores in New England
• 60+ United Food stores in Texas

These are in addition to a number of local and independent grocers across the country that will begin accepting Apple Pay today.

If you're looking to give Apple Pay a shot for the first time, be sure to head over to our ultimate guide to using Apple Pay and give it a once over.

Apple Pay integration has arrived on the latest update for the Disney Store app. With Apple Pay, customers can order merchandise through the Disney Store app and not have to manually enter in their credit or debit card information at checkout. Alongside integration for Apple Pay, the app also adds Disney Mobile Mailbox and push notifications as well as some bug fixes.

Here's the full change log:

• Apple Pay, now accepted at Disney Store. An easy, secure, and private way to pay on your iPhone 6.
• Disney Mobile Mailbox & Push Notifications
• Minor bug fixes
• iOS 8.0 and above required

• Download now - Free

Square will support Apple Pay at some point next year, according to its founder, Jack Dorsey. Dorsey reiterrated comments from earlier this year in which he said that Square aimed to accept all forms of payment, and that includes Apple Pay. While some have tried to play up Apple Pay as a rival of Square, Dorsey said he disagrees.

From CNNMoney:

"We're not building a credit card. We're not building a payment device. We're building a [cash] register, and this register accepts all these forms of payments," Dorsey told CNN in an interview.

Of course, supporting Apple Pay would require new, NFC-compatible hardware from Square. No specific date for support was given, with Dorsey only saying that it would come in 2015.

Source: CNNMoney

We've seen a few promotions from banks to get customers to start using Apple Pay, and now Chase Bank is getting in on the action by giving away music. Specifically they're offering a free early copy of David Guetta's upcoming album "Listen" to Chase customers for adding their credit or debit card to Apple Pay.

The promotion is, of course, only available to Chase card holders, and runs through midnight EST on Sunday, November 23rd (i.e you have this weekend). You'll also need the Chase Mobile app installed on your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, as that's where you'll find the link to the free copy of the album.

Chase is debuting their first commercial featuring Apple Pay. The ad stars indie band Bleachers, and features the group going through the day before a show, doing things like getting a haircut, eating a meal, and more, and paying for all of it with their Chase cards through Apple Pay. Apple had final say over the content of the ad, though Chase said that Apple was easy to work with.

From Ad Age:

While Apple marketing head Phil Schiller retained final say on Chase's Apple Pay creative, Ms. Canavari called the company easy to work with. "We spent half day with them in Cupertino and they're storytellers," she said. "So are we." As guidance, the technology company took Chase through its history of marketing efforts with various partners. Apple's only actual mandate, according to Ms. Canavari, was to ensure that Apple Pay was used in realistic situations.

The 30-second version of the ad is expected to start airing in prime time on most of the major broadcast networks as well as ESPN.

Source: Ad Age