Apple has a mobile payments platform, it ties into credit, debit, loyalty, and store cards, and here's what you need to know about it!
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 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, or iPad mini 3, or in-store via near-field communications (NFC) on the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus, and even with the Apple Watch and any of the iPhones 5 or 6.
Apple Pay is currently available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and China. Authorization is handled by Touch ID or passcode, 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!
What's new with Apple Pay?
It looks like Apple Pay Cash, the feature that, among other things, will enable person-to-person payments through Apple Pay over iMessage, seems to be headed for a late October release date. In a footnote on its Apple Watch Series 1 site, the company says that the ability to pay friends using Apple Pay is coming in late October.
Where can I use Apple Pay?
Apple Pay is currently available in the U.S., U.K, Canada, Australia, and China. Most banks in the U.S. and U.K. now support it, while American Express is first out the gate in Canada and Australia.
Which Apple devices support Apple Pay?
To use Apple pay in store, via NFC on a contactless payment system — in other words, to be able to tap-to-pay at your favorite retailer:
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- Apple Watch
What about if I just want to shop online?
You're in luck! All the above plus recent iPads. So:
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPad Pro 9.7
- iPad Pro 12.9
- iPad Air 2
- iPad mini 4
- iPad mini 3
- Apple Watch
The iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, or iPad mini 3, or in-store via near-field communications (NFC) on the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus, and even with the Apple Watch and any of the iPhones 5 or 6 .
How do I use Apple Pay on my iPhone or iPad? (What, I have both!)
So very glad you asked! Apple makes it incredibly easy to get started with Apple Pay by including it in the set up process with every new iPhone or iPad. We've also done a walk through for you:
Cool. Cool. What about on my Apple Watch?
To use Apple Pay on your Apple Watch you need to add the cards through the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. That's for security reasons. The process is simple, you just need to follow the steps.
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