Quantcast
Channel: Apple Pay
Viewing all 598 articles
Browse latest View live

Tim Cook reportedly says that Apple Watch is on track for June retail launch

$
0
0

Apple CEO Tim Cook has reportedly told employees that the Apple Watch should still be arriving in retail stores in June.

Reiterating comments from Angela Ahrendts last month, Tim Cook reportedly told employees that the Apple Watch would be coming to Apple Stores in June, though he did not specify a date for the launch. During a recent meeting at the company's Chinese headquarters, Cook reportedly said that the Watch was doing well, and that the company was working hard to keep pace with demand, according to 9to5Mac:

Regarding the Apple Watch, Cook began by telling the employees that "the Watch could not be going better, we're working really hard on making more." Cook joked that Apple wishes it had more operations staff and engineers to make the launch go even smoother, according to the sources. Notably, Cook promised that Apple Stores will begin carrying Apple Watch stock in June. This indicates that comments from Angela Ahrendts in April are still on track. For the first time, Cook also confirmed that the upcoming June in-store launch will include the company's stores in China.

Cook is also said to have touched on Apple Pay in China. Cook, along with Apple Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue were in China in part to meet with potential new Apple Pay partners. This is a turnaround from previous reports that Apple was having trouble closing deals to bring Apple Pay to the country.

Source: 9to5Mac


Target looking to bring Apple Pay to stores after chip-and-PIN upgrade

$
0
0

Target's CEO, Brian Cornell, says that the company plans to offer in-store support for Apple Pay eventually.

Speaking at Code Conference today, Target CEO Brian Cornell said that the company plans to eventually support Apple Pay in stores, but his main focus right now is adding support for chip-and-PIN cards.

From Re/Code:

"Our focus is on getting chip-and-PIN in place in time for the holidays," Cornell said at the second annual Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. "Down the line we want to accept all the types of payments that our guests want. But this decision was all about focus. … It is a major undertaking to convert to chip-and-PIN, and I decided that we can't distract the team."

"I'd love to have Apple Pay today," he said. "Once we finish, we'll be open-minded" about supporting other payment systems.

Cornell's focus on adding support for chip-and-PIN cards, which are considered to be more secure than traditional credit cards, before considering Apple Pay is likely due to the major credit card hack that the company suffered in 2013. Still, one could make the argument that supporting Apple Pay, with its tokenized transactions, should be a priority as well.

Target already supports Apple's mobile payments platform through its iOS app, but has lagged behind other retailers in adopting support in its stores.

Source: Re/Code

Apple said to be readying Apple Pay rewards program to debut at WWDC

$
0
0

Apple is reportedly planning to debut a rewards program for Apple Pay at WWDC 2015.

According to a new report out, Apple may beef up Apple Pay with some sort of rewards program, set to debut next month at WWDC. From The New York Times:

Apple is preparing to announce details about enhancements to Apple Pay at its software conference next month. Those include a rewards program for the mobile wallet service, said two people briefed on the product.

Other than the mention of a rewards program, details are thin. There's no doubt that Apple has further plans for Apple Pay in the works now that the service has had time to breathe. However, it's unclear if any rewards program would come as a tie-in with Passbook, which already supports loyalty cards from various retailers, or something else altogether. In any event, if this shaped up to be true, we're sure to hear much more when WWDC kicks off on June 8.

Source: The New York Times

The Apple Watch is a hot cup of convenience

$
0
0

As I pull the car into the Starbucks drive-thru, my husband says, "Oh, sorry, I thought you said you wanted coffee."

"Close enough," I tell him, and order a grande coffee with cream. He orders a breakfast sandwich. It's a Saturday morning and our family is headed to the beach for the day, about an hour and a half west of Portland.

That's right: we live in Portland, Oregon, hipster capital of the Pacific Northwest, where you can find some of the best coffee in the country. And yet, sometimes, we go to Starbucks. My husband, Neven Mrgan, asked me to please leave his name out of this article.

In most cities, Starbucks is a perfectly acceptable place to go for coffee (or tea, if you're into that sort of thing). But in Portland, it's controversial. On the one hand, the company itself hails from Seattle, so it's semi-local; it also strives to ethically source the coffee it serves. But on the other hand, it's a massive chain, which is inherently uncool in this indie-loving, D.I.Y. city, and the coffee it serves isn't great. Some of it barely even resembles coffee (cough"S'mores Frappuccino"cough). But, on the whole, it's fine.

Yes, coffee nerds: I think the coffee at Starbucks is fine. While Portland is home to a ridiculously high number of small-batch roasters and I prefer almost everything about the Stumptown that's a few blocks from my house, I go there just about as often as I go to our local Starbucks. Now, let me drop some truth about why.

The magic of ordering ahead through iOS

I've been using the Starbucks app for a couple of years, because it's well-designed, tracks my rewards (buy 12, get 1 free!), and lets me reload my card and pay via the app. Pretty cool. About six months ago, though, I also began using the "order ahead" feature, which is still in beta; Portland is the test market.

So far, it's been great. I can choose my Starbucks (yes, I have a few "favorite" locations saved, including the one nearest our house), place my fully-customized order in advance, pay within the app, and then just pick up my coffee at the chosen location. I have two kids, a job, and too many hobbies, so this is incredibly handy.

While I love the Stumptown that's down the street, I usually only treat myself to coffee there when I'm working (I work remotely, designing Mac and iOS software), or if I happen to be taking a leisurely stroll over the weekend.

Because here's the thing: Stumptown, like a ridiculously high number of independent coffee shops in this town, serves great coffee. And great coffee takes time. There's almost always a line. And if I'm in any kind of hurry, as I often am, I'm not likely to stand in it. Stumptown does have an honor-system collection can for self-serve drip coffee ($2 for a 12 oz. cup), but I rarely carry cash. So even if I just want a regular cup of coffee, not an exquisitely-crafted latte or a Chemex pour-over, I'm looking at standing around for 7-10 minutes to get it.

Since you're reading this on iMore, you can also likely appreciate that tingle of nerd-pride I get when I walk into a Starbucks directly past the line of people waiting to order, asking for my coffee at the the pick-up counter and notifying the barista that I ordered via the app. I am insufferable.

Super Value Combo: Apple Watch and the Starbucks drive-thru

While the order-ahead feature is really great, I don't always have the foresight to use it. That's where the combination of the drive-thru and the the Apple Watch really shines.

The Apple Watch component of the Starbucks iOS app only shows you information about your account and recent purchases — like all third-party apps, it's very limited for now. But you can use your Starbucks card via the Passbook app, and the result is almost exactly like using Apple Pay.

Instead of double-tapping the side button and then holding your Watch near the reader, though, the barista just scans the bar code on your watch face. You can even leave a tip via the app on your phone when you get a chance; I've done it up to an hour later. It's super fast and really, really convenient.

I'm often driving around with one or both kids in the car, and being able to just pull through a drive-thru and pay with a scan of my wrist, without touching my wallet or even my phone, is amazing. The appeal of higher-quality coffee from Stumptown (or Coava or Water Avenue or Heart) drops substantially when I consider parking the car, extracting a four-year-old and an 11-month-old from car seats, and standing in line for ten minutes.

When it comes to convenience, the coffee is fine

So back to that Saturday, at the drive-thru: I get my coffee, Neven gets his sandwich — which he admits is "actually pretty good"— a woman scans my watch, and just like that, we're on our way to the beach. The coffee is fine.

Apple Pay gets support from 12 more banks and credit unions

$
0
0

A dozen more U.S. banks have added support for Apple Pay as acceptance of the payment system grows.

Apple Pay gets support from 12 more banks and credit unions

Apple Pay has gained support from 12 new banks and credit unions. You can view all of the additions in the list below.

  • Banner Bank
  • BayPort Credit Union
  • California Coast Credit Union
  • Centier Bank
  • Community First Credit Union (CFCU)
  • Glenview State Bank
  • HAPO Community Credit Union
  • Prestige Community Credit Union
  • Provident Credit Union
  • Staley Credit Union
  • Synovus Bank
  • Wood & Huston Bank

Acceptance of Apple Pay has been growing in recent months. Apple announced at their March "Spring Forward" that Apple Pay was supported at over 700,000 retail locations, and that number will grow soon, with large chains like Best Buy have announced their intention to accept the system later this year. Target has also expressed an interest in supporting Apple Pay.

Source: Apple

Lack of customer data keeping some merchants from supporting Apple Pay

$
0
0

As Apple continues its push for Apple Pay across the U.S., it seems that many retailers remain skeptical about the system.

Despite the progress that they have made with Apple Pay since it launched last October, Apple is still taking an aggressive approach in their attempts to get retailers on board. The company has apparently lined up about half of the top 100 U.S. retailers to use the system in 2015.

However, many retailers are apparently still choosing to hold off on using Apple Pay, with the primary sticking points being lack of customer interest and limited access to customer data, according to Reuters:

For 28 of the retailers surveyed by Reuters, lack of access to data about customers and their buying habits is a key reason they don't accept Apple Pay. "One of the biggest concerns is data control," said Mario De Armas, senior director, international payments at the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Several merchants are putting their hopes on CurrentC, a payment system that offers more data to retailers while cutting out the credit card fees they would have to pay. Several merchants will not be participating in Apple Pay simply due to the contract with MCX, the company behind CurrentC, which prevents them from accepting other mobile wallet solutions.

Despite roadblocks, Apple Pay is gaining traction. In March, Apple announced that over 700,000 locations were accepting Apple Pay, and major retailers like Best Buy announcing support for the system.

Source: Reuters

Merchants aren't 'skeptical' of Apple Pay, they're just self-serving

$
0
0

Merchants aren't 'skeptical' of Apple Pay, they just want our data

Apple Pay isn't everywhere yet, but where it's going tells me a lot about where I'll want to be.

Apple Pay, the contactless payment system announced by Apple last September, absolutely faces challenges when it comes to gaining widespread adoption by an industry not always aligned with the best interests of the customer. No, not Hollywood — big retail. The top 100 merchants in the United States of America.

Reuters ran a survey to find out what those challenges were, but framed the results in such a way as to make the merchants seem "skeptical", when the actual data seems to suggest a far better term would be "self serving". When reached for comment, Apple told iMore:

"Customers love Apple Pay and we are very happy with the progress of our rollout since launching just six months ago," an Apple spokesperson reiterated to iMore. "We've spoken to all of the top 100 merchants in the U.S. and about half will accept Apple Pay this year, with many more the following year. There's tremendous momentum from not only large retailers but also Main street merchants, with payment service providers telling us they're seeing unprecedented demand from small and medium businesses nationwide."

That "about half will accept Apple Pay this year" is what the company's CEO, Tim Cook, previously referenced in his year of Apple Pay comments back in January. Reuters seemed eager to suggest Apple wouldn't make it, less eager to report Apple was sticking to it.

Regardless of whether or not Apple makes it to 50 exactly, that's absolutely the attitude and drive I want them to have. For far too long mobile payments have been an afterthought — if the mainstream public gave them any thought at all. Being ambitious is what's gotten Apple Pay into hundreds of thousands of stores in just one country and in under a year, and it's absolutely what's going to get them further.

As for the retailers, some said cost was an issue when it came to accepting Apple Pay. This read as sophistry to me. U.S. retailers already need to upgrade to support what is, in Canada and Europe, the widespread security and convenience offered of pin-and-chip and near-field communications. (NFC).

I'm not sure what Apple-specifc costs retailers want us to believe exist, since Apple's documentation lists none that I can find. Perhaps training staff to explain the privacy and security benefits? Otherwise, faster transactions and no risk from data breaches seems like an enormous cost-savings, at least to me.

Of the more candid retailers, 28 said they weren't accepting Apple Pay because they couldn't get our data from it. That doesn't shock me at all. Data is money. And the various analytics and brokerage there of can be an important revenue stream all on its own. So, it's understandable some merchants want to own it.

But with big data comes big responsibility. Given the breaches that have happened with merchants large and small over the last few years, when it comes to my data — especially my financial data — I'd just as soon the merchants have precisely none of it.

None of it to lose, none of it to exploit without giving me something of value in return, and none of it to compromise my security or privacy on their or anyone else's systems.

In that way, those 28 merchants have done me a service. They've made my decision about where to buy easier. Expressly: not from them. Not unless and until they give me options or incentives that make it better for me. Not just for them.

For right now, merchants are running out of excuses that don't make them seem out of touch or disingenuous, and that's putting it mildly.

I'm looking forward to having Apple Pay, and at shopping at all the fine retailers that have the good sense to support it. Because that's in my best interests.

Apple Pay reportedly launching in the U.K. this summer

$
0
0

Citing industry sources, The Telegraph reported that Apple Pay for the U.K. will be announced at WWDC later today, with the service going live in two months' time.

Rolling out the service in the U.K. should not pose any undue challenges, as contactless payment terminals compatible with NFC are already widespread in the country. Contactless payments amounted to £2.3 billion last year, and with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus accounting for nearly 40 percent of all smartphone sales, banks and retail merchants will be looking to introduce support for Apple Pay in the coming months.

We're on the ground at the Moscone Center, so be sure to tune back in later today for all the announcements from WWDC!


Apple Pay now being used by 2,500 bank locations in US, will launch in the UK in July

$
0
0

Apple Pay, which is now in 2,500 bank locations in the US, will officially launch in the UK starting in July.

Apple Pay

During Apple's WWDC 2015 keynote event today, Apple provided an update on their Apple Pay service. The company revealed that 2,500 bank locations in the US support Apple Pay and that it will launch in the UK in July, confirming earlier rumors. Apple stated that the UK support will come to eight of the country's popular banks, with more coming this fall:

  • M&S Bank
  • Bank of Scotland
  • Halifax
  • Ulster Bank
  • NatWest
  • American Express
  • Santander
  • Royal Bank of Scotlank
  • Nationwide
  • HSBC,
  • First Direct
  • TSB,
  • MBNA,
  • Lloyds Band

Apple Pay will support 70% of the UK's credit and debit cards. 250,000 UK merchant locations will support Apple Pay, including the London transportation system

Apple also repeated the news that Apple Pay support will be coming to Discover Card owners this fall in the US. An all new Square reader is launching this fall with Apple Pay support, with pre-orders starting today. Apple claims that there will be one million Apple Pay locations by July. Developers are seeing 2 times of an increase in their checkout rates when using Apple Pay. The Pinterest app will also add support for Apple Pay for buying from partner stores.

For iOS 9, Apple Pay will add support for store credit and debit cards along with rewards programs from stores like Kohls, and Walgreens. More retailer such as Trader Joes, Baskin Robbins, and JC Penney plan to add Apple Pay support. Finally, Apple is changing the name of its Passport app to Wallet.

Press Releases:

Apple Pay Coming to the UK

Bringing the Easy, Secure & Private Way to Pay to Customers Internationally

SAN FRANCISCO — June 8, 2015 — Apple® today announced that starting next month, Apple Pay™ will be available to customers in the UK, bringing them the easy, secure and private way to pay. Whether buying groceries, grabbing coffee, picking up lunch or taking the Tube, UK shoppers will soon be able to make many of their daily purchases with Apple Pay. At launch, over 250,000 locations will accept Apple Pay, with support from eight of the UK's most established banks, across all of the major credit and debit card networks.

"Apple Pay has quickly become a big part of millions of users' everyday shopping routines, providing a simpler, faster and more secure way to pay," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "We're thrilled to bring Apple Pay to the UK with support at launch from the most popular banks, an incredible roster of merchants and many of our users' favorite apps."

Paying in stores or within apps has never been easier. In stores, shopping with Apple Pay is fast and there are no extra steps — simply hold your iPhone® near the contactless reader while keeping a finger on Touch ID™. With Apple Watch™ just double click the side button and hold the face up to the contactless reader to make a purchase right from your wrist. Shopping in apps with Apple Pay can be as simple as the touch of a finger, so iPhone and iPad® users can pay for physical goods and services, including apparel, electronics, health and beauty products, tickets and more.

Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. In the UK, users will soon receive all the benefits of protecting personal information, transaction data, and credit and debit card information with the industry-leading security Apple Pay brings. When adding a credit or debit card, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device, and each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code.

Apple Pay will support UK credit and debit cards from American Express, MasterCard and Visa Europe, issued by many of the UK's most popular banks, including first direct, HSBC, NatWest, Nationwide Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and Ulster Bank. Other major issuing banks will follow by this fall, including Bank of Scotland, Coutts, Halifax, Lloyds Bank, MBNA, M&S Bank and TSB Bank.

"As part of our goal to be number one, we are absolutely focused on giving our customers the best and most innovative experience possible," said Ross McEwan, CEO of Royal Bank of Scotland. "Whether on the high street, in a small shop or on the go within apps, Apple Pay offers a simple and secure way to pay. We are pleased to be among the first UK banks to offer this service to our customers."

Starting in July, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch users will be able to make purchases anywhere contactless payments are accepted. In addition to the 39 Apple Stores in the UK, leading locations for everyday shopping that will accept Apple Pay include Boots UK, BP, Costa Coffee, Dune, JD Sports, KFC UK & Ireland, Liberty, LIDL, Marks & Spencer (M&S), McDonald's UK, Nando's, New Look, Post Office, Pret A Manger, SPAR, Starbucks, SUBWAY stores, Wagamama and Waitrose. Transport for London will also accept Apple Pay, so you can use your iPhone or Apple Watch to pay for your travel or daily commute.

"We are proud to be one of the first retailers to introduce Apple Pay at our stores across the UK. Whether customers are enjoying our special food range or our clothing collections, our early introduction of Apple Pay will provide them with a seamless and secure way of checking out," said Marc Bolland, CEO of Marks & Spencer.

In apps, checkout is simple and there is no need to manually fill out lengthy account forms or repeatedly type in shipping and billing information. Apps that will accept Apple Pay in the UK include Addison Lee, Airbnb, Argos, Booking.com, British Airways, Domino's, easyJet, Hailo, HotelTonight, hungryhouse, JD Sports, Just Eat, lastminute.com, Miss Selfridge, Ocado, Stubhub, thetrainline.com, Top 10, Topshop, Uncover, Vueling, YPlan, Zalando and Zara, among others. When paying for goods and services within apps, Apple Pay is compatible with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air® 2 and iPad mini™ 3.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, the Mac and Apple Watch. Apple's three software platforms — iOS, OS X and watchOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple's 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Apple Pay Giving Shoppers Even More Ways to Pay

Expanding Benefits with Merchant Rewards & Store-Issued Cards

SAN FRANCISCO — June 8, 2015 — Apple® today announced Apple Pay™ is making everyday payments even better by adding support for rewards programs and store-issued credit and debit cards with iOS 9. Apple Pay will also give shoppers more ways to pay in the US, expanding merchant acceptance to over one million locations next month and bringing support for Discover this fall. With this addition, Apple Pay will accept credit and debit cards across all major card networks, issued by the most popular banks, representing 98 percent of all credit card purchase volume in the US.

"Apple Pay has kicked off a new era of payments and our users love the incredibly easy, secure and private way to pay," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "We're bringing our customers the most requested features with support for rewards and store-issued cards, and expanding how and where Apple Pay is accepted, which truly transforms the way people pay."

With the addition of Apple Pay, the Passbook® app in iOS has become much more than simply a place for keeping coupons, gift cards, boarding passes and tickets. Starting this fall with iOS 9, Passbook evolves to become Wallet, bringing additional options at checkout with Apple Pay support for rewards and store-issued credit and debit cards.

To get the most out of purchases, users simply add participating rewards and store-issued cards to the Wallet app and seamlessly use them at checkout with Apple Pay. This fall, more than 80 million active members of Walgreens Balance Rewards program, the nation's largest drugstore loyalty program, will be able to easily and securely use their rewards with Apple Pay. Additionally, Kohl's Department Stores will begin rolling out Apple Pay to its 30 million Yes2You Reward program members. Others bringing rewards programs to Apple Pay users include Coca-Cola, Dunkin' Donuts, Panera Bread and Wegmans Food Markets. Favorite store-issued cards available to Apple Pay users will include BJ's Wholesale Club, Kohl's Department Stores and JCPenney, with many more to come.

"Our customers around the country already depend on Dunkin' Donuts as their all-day, everyday stop to keep them going," said Nigel Travis, chairman and CEO, Dunkin' Brands. "We can't think of a better way to reward their loyalty than by offering Apple Pay and the option to use personalized rewards with their purchases."

"Providing our shoppers with innovative ways to pay while offering flexibility, supports our commitment to delivering a simple and convenient customer experience," said Kevin Mansell, Kohl's chairman, CEO and president. "By integrating with Apple Pay in all of our stores, Kohl's customers can choose how they want to pay, whether using their Kohl's Charge or Yes2You Rewards loyalty points, payments are easy and secure."

Apple Pay launched last October with 200,000 locations in the US and will soon surpass one million. Just a few of the newest merchants accepting Apple Pay in stores this year include Baskin Robbins, Best Buy, BevMo!, Big Lots, Dunkin' Donuts, El Pollo Loco, EXPRESS, Forever 21, JCPenney, Johnny Rockets, Kohl's Department Stores, LEGO Brand Retail, Levi's, Peet's Coffee, Trader Joe's and White Castle. Additionally, today Square announced that it will launch its new Square Reader this fall, which will enable even more small businesses to accept Apple Pay.

Popular apps continue to add Apple Pay support so checkout can happen with a single touch. New apps bringing Apple Pay to customers include Best Buy, Delta Air Lines' Fly Delta app, Dunkin' Donuts, Gilt, HauteLook, Kickstarter, Munchery, Nordstromrack.com and zulily. Pinterest will also launch Buyable Pins later this month, so users can purchase millions of items from over a thousand stores like Cole Haan, Macy's and Neiman Marcus from right within the Pinterest app with Apple Pay, only on iOS.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, the Mac and Apple Watch. Apple's three software platforms — iOS, OS X and watchOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple's 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Retailers can bypass £20 limit for Apple Pay transactions in the UK

$
0
0

With Apple Pay coming to the U.K. in July, payment processing services are considering removing the £20 limit on contactless payments in the country.

Speaking to Pocket-Lint, Jeremy Nicholds, Executive Director of Mobile at Visa, confirmed that the decision to remove the limit will be subject to individual retailers:

While there will be some retailers who will keep the £20 limit initially at launch (the limit is soon to rise to £30 in the autumn), not all retailers will have the limit at launch - and there will be others who will choose to get rid of it all together in time.

MasterCard has similarly announced that it'll let retailers raise the limit of transactions:

Currently the vast majority of payment terminals here in the UK are set to accept contactless transactions up to the £20 spending limit, but that will rise to £30 in September (for cards as well). As more digital services like Apple Pay come to market, we're [MasterCard] supporting retailers and banks as they update the terminals so that they can accept authenticated transactions above that limit from digital devices.

For retailers to remove the current limit, they have to upgrade their contact terminals to the latest version of software:

Retailers who wish to accept unlimited contactless transactions from digital devices, should of course get the latest terminal software. The majority of British merchants who currently accept contactless are running systems based on the £20 limit, so they will need to update their terminals if they wish to accept authenticated contactless transactions at a higher value.

Those outlets that do not have a threshold on contactless payments will advertise as such. Apple Pay will be available at over 250,000 locations — including major banks — once it makes its debut in the country in July, although retailers like Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury have mentioned that they don't have plans to formally support the payment service at launch. However, any location that currently offers contactless payment terminals will be compatible with the NFC-based technology used by Apple Pay.

Source: Pocket-lint

Verifone announces support for Apple Pay store loyalty cards

$
0
0

Verifone has announced that two of its NFC payment terminals will support the new Apple Pay store functionality coming in iOS 9.

Verifone announces support for Apple Pay store loyalty cards

Verifone will be one of the first companies to support store credit cards in Apple Pay through their NFC payment terminals, the company has announced. Starting with iOS 9, Apple Pay will allow users to store credit cards acquired from merchants, which often include loyalty reward programs. In addition to support in two of their terminals, Verifone will work with six retailers to enable this functionality.

From Verifone:

To start, Verifone will enable six national and global retailers to be the first to accept NFC loyalty transactions on Verifone's MX 915 and MX 925 terminals for their consumers to redeem rewards and accrue points.

Store loyalty cards will roll out this fall with the debut of iOS 9, and retailers like Kohl's and Walgreens have already announced compatibility. Other participating retailers include Coca-Cola, Panera Bread, Dunkin' Donuts, and JCPenney.

Source: Business Wire

Apple Pay finds support from 30 more U.S. banks

$
0
0

Apple Pay has picked up support from 30 more U.S. banks as the service prepares for its first international expansion.

Apple Pay has added support from 30 new banks and credit unions. The system allows customers to pay for items with their iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, or through their Apple Watch. You can see all of the new additions on the list below:

  • Alaska USA Federal Credit Union
  • Apple Federal Credit Union
  • Capital City Bank
  • Changing Seasons FCU
  • City National Bank
  • Educational Systems FCU
  • Granite Credit Union
  • Great Basin Federal Credit Union
  • Greater Texas FCU
  • Hoosier Hills Credit Union
  • Hughes Federal Credit Union
  • iQ Credit Union
  • KEMBA Financial Credit Union
  • Landmark Credit Union
  • Legend Bank
  • Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union
  • Mercantile Bank of Michigan
  • MIDFLORIDA Credit Union
  • New England Federal Credit Union
  • People's United Bank
  • Peoples Bank
  • Town & Country FCU
  • Town Square Bank
  • Transportation FCU
  • True North Federal Credit Union
  • UBS Bank USA
  • USC Credit Union
  • Veridian Credit Union
  • Waukesha State Bank
  • Western Federal Credit Union

While Apple Pay launched as a U.S.-only service, it will soon expand internationally, heading to the U.K. in July, where it will initially be supported by 14 banks.

Source: Apple

Apple Pay transactions will initially be limited to £20 after launching in the UK

$
0
0

Apple has published a new FAQ support article, detailing how the new platform will work with UK merchants, as well as touching on the initial £20 limit.

Apple Watch

All contactless transactions in the UK are restricted to £20 and Apple Pay will be no different. While the new payment system will work with any current contactless reader deployed by merchants, Apple Pay utilizes the same technology as contactless cards in the UK. No PIN is be required, but the £20 limit will be enforced on current terminals. This is at least the case until September.

Later in the year, the limit on contactless transactions will be increased to £30, which will include payments made through Apple Pay. While it's not a substantial increase (you'll not be picking up a Bentley anytime soon, Rene!) it will surely be a welcomed upgrade for those who frequently hit the limit for purchases. Unfortunately, the only way Apple Pay will bypass the limit in the UK is if retailers use readers that support Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method.

CDCVM requires said new hardware, which will take merchants some time to roll out, but will eventually enable contactless payments to pass through referencing Touch ID verification. Until we reach that point in time, consumers using Apple Pay (and other contactless payment systems) will be restricted to £20 until September and then £30 thereafter.

Source: Apple, via: 9to5Mac

Pinterest begins rolling out buyable Pins to iPhone and iPad app users in the US

$
0
0

Earlier this month, Pinterest announced plans to let its iPhone and iPad app users in the US purchase items. Now support for buyable Pins has started to roll out for Apple's devices.

Pinterest says:

You'll start seeing buyable Pins all over Pinterest—in your home feed, on boards you love, and in search results. When you spot a Pin with a blue price, that means you can buy it. Say you're on the hunt for a new jacket. Try a search, then swipe through all the buyable Pins at the top of your search results. Filter by price to hone in on the right Pin for you.

Buyers can use either Apple Pay or a credit card to pay for items inside the Pinterest app. Full support for this new feature will be available to all Pinterest users in the US in the new few weeks and the company says that by that time 30 million Pins will be buyable.

Source: Pinterest

Apple Pay said to be landing in the UK on July 14

$
0
0

Apple Pay said to be landing in the U.K. on July 14

Apple Pay will reportedly go live in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 14. Apple has apparently informed retail staff in the UK to expect the system to go live on that date and supermarket Waitrose is reportedly distributing internal material with a July 14 date for Apple Pay as well. From 9to5Mac:

Apple will also begin training its U.K staff on supporting Apple Pay on July 12th. Apple has begun enabling its mobile point of sale systems in England-based stores to take NFC payments and has been preparing materials to promote the Apple Pay launch in stores. It is plausible that different stores will have different launch dates, but the presence of the same, at least tentative, date makes July 14th a very possible widespread start date.

Apple announced Apple Pay availability in the UK at last month's WWDC conference. Additionally, as with all contactless payment systems in the country, Apple Pay will be limited to transactions of up to £20, though this limit could rise in the future.


Apple Pay adds 23 more US banks and credit unions to its support list

$
0
0

Apple Pay

Apple Pay has added support from an additional 23 new banks and credit unions in the US. The system allows customers to pay for items with their iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, or through their Apple Watch.

You can see all of the new banks and credit unions on the list below:

  • American Chartered Bank
  • Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union
  • Bellco Credit Union
  • EFCU Financial
  • First Federal
  • First National Bank
  • Health Care Systems Federal Credit Union
  • Keesler Federal Credit Union
  • Kemba Credit Union
  • Members 1st Federal Credit Union
  • NorthStart Credit Union
  • Parsons Federal Credit Union
  • Pinnacle Bank
  • Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
  • Service Credit Union
  • SRP Federal Credit Union
  • SUMA (Yonkers) FCU
  • Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union
  • Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union
  • Tri County Area Federal Credit Union
  • Trona Valley Federal Credit Union
  • United Teletech Financial
  • Winthrop Area FCU

Apple Pay is scheduled to launch soon in the UK, perhaps as early as July 14. Apple Pay is also rumored to launch later this fall in Canada.

Source: Apple

MasterCard helps Apple Pay step up to the plate for MLB All-Star Game

$
0
0

MasterCard helps Apple Pay step up to the plate for MLB All-Star Game

Ahead of the start of Major League Baseball's All-Star Week, MasterCard is helping to bring Apple Pay to Cincinnati, Ohio's Great American Ball Park. Apple Pay users will be able to buy food and merchandise, as usual, while MasterCard customers using Apple Pay will have the chance to win something as part of the company's Priceless Surprise program.

From MasterCard:

MasterCard cardholders who use Apple Pay at contactless merchandise and concession acceptance locations at the T-Mobile All-Star FanFest taking place July 10th through July 14th or in-stadium at Great American Ball Park from July 12th through July 14th could get a little something extra – from All-Star branded premiums, autographed memorabilia to prepaid cards and more.

MasterCard has been fairly aggressive in helping to roll out contactless payments, and Apple Pay in particular, at sporting events, earlier this year helping to bring it to the PGA Tour.

Source: MasterCard

Apple Pay launch in the U.K. imminent as signs go up around the country

$
0
0

Apple Pay is set to make its debut in the UK on July 14, with retailers starting to put up signs showing support for the contactless payment service. The NFC-based service will be available at all major banks, including Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds, M&S Bank, Nationwide, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, TSB and Ulster Bank. Barclays hasn't announced its support yet, but a new report indicates that the bank will offer Apple Pay integration soon.

A tweet from the official account of HSBC UK (which has since been deleted) confirmed the launch date as July 14:

Signs supporting Apple Pay are starting to appear across the country:

 Pay in UK from Tuesday! #applepay #uk #apple #nfc #tech #geek #iphone6 #hertford #applepay

A photo posted by Ishy  إرشاد فاروق  இர்ஷட் (@isharrrrr) on

Initially, Apple Pay transactions will be subject to contactless payment limits of £20, which will be raised to £30 this fall. Retailers looking to accept higher value transactions will have to upgrade their payment terminals. Support for Apple Pay is already baked into iOS, and once the service is live in the UK, Apple needs to flip the switch that allows customers in the country to add their payment information via Settings.

Interested in knowing more about how to use Apple Pay? Check out our comprehensive guide:

Apple Pay: The ultimate guide

Source: Twitter; Via: 9to5Mac

Apple Pay goes live in the UK with support from 8 banks, 250,000 stores

$
0
0

Apple Pay has expanded its reach from the U.S., officially launching in the UK. Users will be able to use the contactless payment system at more than 250,000 retailers with support coming from eight banks right off the bat. According to the UK Apple Pay page, the service is currently supported with credit and debit cards from the following list of financial institutions and card issuers:

  • American Express
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • First Direct
  • HSBC
  • Nationwide
  • NatWest
  • Royal Bank of Scotland
  • Santander
  • Ulster Bank

The official launch confirms previous rumors that the service would become available in the UK on July 14 as signs began appearing at retailers around the country last week. Just like the post-launch process went in the U.S., we're likely to see Apple Pay support expand to a number of financial institutions over the next months, with Bank of Scotland, Halifax, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA, and TSB set to roll out support next.

Apple Pay is supported wherever contactless payments are supported, but Apple has provided a list of a number of specific retailers that accept the mobile payment solution, all of which you can check out on the Apple Pay UK page. Keep in mind that, at least initially, purchases will be limited to a £20 cap, but that will expand to £30 in September.

Source: Apple; Via: The Telegraph

HSBC no longer a launch partner for Apple Pay in the UK, support coming 'later in July'

$
0
0

HSBC was originally slated to be one of eight financial partners supporting Apple Pay in the UK at launch, but it looks like the bank pulled support at the last minute. The Apple Pay page now lists HSBC under "coming soon."

Replying to a customer's (our own Richard Devine) query, a HSBC UK customer service representative suggested that support for Apple Pay would be available sometime later this month:

We'll share more details as and when we receive them.

Source: Twitter (HSBC UK)

Viewing all 598 articles
Browse latest View live


<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>