Microsoft has announced that Teams for iPad now supports external cameras, allowing users with older devices to hook up better-quality webcams during Teams calls.
With iPadOS 17, Apple added support for connecting external cameras to iPads with a USB-C port, and Microsoft has just got around to leveraging the feature for users who want to benefit from higher resolution, better dynamic range, and the ability to adjust angles when videoconferencing.
Thanks to Microsoft's implementation, connecting a camera for use in Teams couldn't be simpler. Plug your external camera into your iPad's USB-C port either before or during your Teams meeting, and the app will automatically select it for use on the call. To switch back to your iPad's built-in camera, simply disconnect the external one.
The plug and play simplicity of the support does mean that there are currently no native or Teams controls to manually switch between your iPad's internal camera and an external one. For now at least, Teams will default to the connected external camera whenever one is plugged in.
Microsoft says most webcams that work over a USB-C connection are supported, so finding a compatible model shouldn't be an issue.
Spotify today shut down all Car Thing accessories, several months after announcing plans to discontinue the product. As of this week, Car Thing is no longer functional and will not work with the Spotify streaming service.
Car Thing owners who power on the device now only see the following message:
Car Thing is discontinued and no longer operational.
Thank you for being on this journey with us, safe travels. For more information, visit carthing.com Contact customer service by no later than January 14, 2025 to discuss your refund options.
Spotify's Car Thing was first introduced in April 2021, and it was Spotify's first hardware product. The accessory was designed to provide simple access to Spotify music while in a vehicle, and it was especially useful in vehicles without modern infotainment systems.
Spotify stopped making Car Thing just five months after it launched due to low product demand and supply chain issues. Existing Car Thing accessories continued to function as expected, until this week.
Back in May, Spotify announced that it was discontinuing Car Thing, and earlier this month, it told customers that the device would stop working at some point in December. Spotify says that Car Thing was discontinued in an effort to streamline product offerings.
Car Thing cost $90 when it launched, and existing units are entirely non-operational now that Spotify has decided to brick them. Spotify has directed customers to recycle their Car Things.
Satechi recently came out with a Find My wallet that's designed to work with a passport, allowing you to keep tabs on your most important documents when you're traveling.
Priced at $60, the Passport Cover with Find My is made from a simple but attractive black vegan leather material. It has a book-like shape and it is sized to hold a passport on one side, with four card slots for IDs and credit cards on the other side. There's also a pocket that can be used for holding money or an airline ticket.
Unfortunately, there is no strap, zipper, or other closure method included, so if you have it stuffed with several things, there is a possibility that something could come out. Cards slot into the holders and there's also a holder for the passport, but it would be nice to have an extra layer of security keeping everything closed.
Satechi's Passport Cover can be added to the Find My app alongside AirTags and other Find My-equipped devices. It is able to be tracked through the "Items" tab in the Find My app, and setup is as simple as pushing a button and holding it near the iPhone.
All of the Find My features are included, so the Passport Cover can be tracked on a map with directions to it, it can play a sound out loud, and you can get alerts when it is left behind and separated from your iPhone. Find My devices use the Find My network when you're out of range, so if someone's iPhone is near the Passport Cover, you'll be updated with its location.
There is a built-in battery that Satechi says lasts for up to five months. It can be recharged using Qi, Qi2, or MagSafe, so while there is no cable to hassle with, you do need to have a wireless charger available. I much prefer the Qi-based charging to charging with a cable, and there is a ring on the front that lets you know where to charge.
The four card slots inside the Passport Cover have RFID protection to prevent card skimming from contactless credit cards for peace of mind.
I haven't had the Passport Cover on hand long enough to test its longevity, but the material is soft to the touch, pleasant to hold, and it feels durable. It is worth noting that while Satechi calls this a vegan leather, the texture does not resemble leather and it will not develop the same patina over time.
Bottom Line
There are passport holders that have built-in slots for AirTags, but Satechi's Passport Cover is sleeker and more convenient with built-in wireless charging. There are also several other Find My passport holders on the market, but many of them are more expensive. Some are cheaper, but for something as important as a passport, it's a good idea to go with a recognized brand.
If you're someone who travels often or if you have a big trip coming up where you want to make sure you can keep an eye on your passport, Satechi's Passport Cover is worth considering.
Yelp today announced several new features powered by artificial intelligence, including a new integration with Apple Maps that's available to iPhone users and an option for summarizing review content.
Review Insights uses large language models to surface reviews and information tailored to details that you are looking for when searching for a restaurant or other location to visit. Review Insights can discern reviewer sentiment about food quality, service, ambiance, wait time, and drinks. The LLM behind the feature can understand context in a review to provide relevant information even if a a key word you're looking for isn't in a review.
Yelp says that Review Insights are aggregated as sentiment scores that range from 1 to 100 and are positive, neutral, or critical. Tapping into the score provides the review related to a specific topic of interest. Review insights are available for restaurant, food, and nightlife businesses on iOS devices.
The Yelp homepage is gaining more personalized content and trending searches to make it easier to find new places to visit, and the company is testing AI videos that use real photos, videos, and information from Yelp to create videos about local restaurants. Unfortunately, the homepage is gaining autoplay user videos that unmute and expand to full screen
Business pages will now show information on a location's tipping policies and payment policies, and Yelp Assistant allows for quote requests using texts and calls after a project is submitted.
In Apple Maps, there's a new integration for connecting directly to pros and requesting a quote via Yelp. Apple Maps has a "Quote" button on businesses pages that links to the Request a Quote flow in the Yelp app or the Yelp mobile web experience.
The new Yelp features are available to iPhone users starting today.
Apple today launched Tap to Pay on iPhone in Chile, which means independent sellers, small businesses, and other merchants in the country can use an iPhone as a contactless payment terminal.
With Tap to Pay on iPhone, an iPhone is able to accept payment using Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets using NFC technology. Transactions are encrypted and Apple does not have information about what is purchased or the person that made the purchase.
On the customer end, using Tap to Pay on iPhone works like any standard Apple Pay transaction. Sellers open up an app on an iPhone XS or later, register a sale, and present an iPhone to the buyer, who can then use a contactless payment method to complete the transaction.
In Chile, SumUp is supporting the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature for merchants. SumUp is known for its iPhone-connected card reader, and the Tap to Pay feature uses the same infrastructure, but without the need for additional hardware.
Tap to Pay on iPhone launched in February 2022 in the United States, and since then, Apple has been working to expand it to additional countries. The feature is available in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
We're already just two weeks away from the Christmas holiday, so in an effort to aid in any last-minute holiday shopping we've accumulated a list of exclusive sales from popular Apple accessory companies. These sales offer the perfect chance to do some online Christmas shopping before it's too late for items to arrive before the 25th.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In total, you'll find exclusive offers from Satechi, Twelve South, Nomad, Nimble, and Grid Studio. These exclusive deals run the gamut of Apple accessories, and you can shop for iPhone cases, MacBook sleeves, Apple Watch bands, screen protectors, bags, and much more.
Each sale has a different end date, and shipping will vary from site-to-site, so be sure to read on for more information. Most brands are still offering delivery for Christmas, as long as you place orders soon. Every sale below is exclusive to our readers, and will require a coupon code, which you can find listed below as well.
Satechi is well known for its large collection of charging products, and with our exclusive code you can take 30 percent off sitewide, even on already-discounted products. The company sells portable batteries, USB-C hubs, wireless chargers that are compatible with MagSafe, and more. The exclusive code has a few exclusions on select new and upcoming products, but otherwise will work on any product sitewide.
One of the best products to use the coupon on is the Qi2 Trio Wireless Charging Pad, which is priced at just $70 with our code, down from $129.99. Our code is compatible with all of Satechi's new Qi2 chargers and hubs, making solid gift options for tech lovers.
Over at Nomad, you can get 20 percent off all in stock and full price items sitewide with our exclusive code MACRUMORS2024. This sale will last through December 15, and most things on Nomad's website are in stock and ready to ship for Christmas.
Eco-friendly brand Nimble is offering our readers 20 percent off their order this holiday season with the exclusive promo code MACRUMORS20. With this promotion you can save on Nimble's portable chargers, wireless chargers, iPhone cases, and more.
Nimble's products are made from highly sustainable materials and come inside plastic-free packaging. The company also runs a one-for-one tech recovery project, placing a disposable bag with every product it sells. In these bags, customers can send back their old or unused tech so that it can be recycled responsibly.
Shoppers should note that our code only works on Nimble's website and can not be used on any of Nimble's products that are available exclusively on Apple's website.
GRID Studio buys and recycles old electronics, taking them apart and arranging each component carefully under a glass frame. Their work turns a hodgepodge of parts into display pieces designed for Apple enthusiasts who want to own a piece of Apple's history. You can also find similar frames for products from Nintendo, Sony, BlackBerry, and more.
At Twelve South, you can get 15 percent off your order worth $150 or more with the promo code MacRumors. This promo code will last through December 22 for users in the United States.
Twelve South has numerous accessories that are specifically made for Apple products, like AirSnap for AirPods, HiRise Wireless for iPhone, and BookBook for iPad Pro. You can browse for some holiday shopping ideas of your own on Twelve South's website, and shoppers should note that the code will not work on any items that are available for pre-order.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find during the holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Instagram today gained a new trial reels feature, which is designed to allow content creators to try out new formants and content to see what performs best. Trial reels are shared with people who do not follow a creator, giving insights into what performs well so it can then be shared with followers.
Trial Reels let creators experiment with new ideas and post frequency without worrying about losing followers or creating content that followers don't want to see. Instagram says that the feature will "help take the guesswork out of how your content will perform."
Content that is performing well in a trial reel can be shared with followers with a tap, or it can be set to be shared with followers automatically if it's performed well after the trial period.
Sharing a trial reel can be done by creating a reel and then tapping on the "Trial" toggle when uploading it. Trial reels are not shown to people on the creator's main grid or the Reels tab unless they are lated shared with all users.
The trial period lasts for 24 hours, and then Instagram provides key engagement metrics like views, likes, comments, and shares so creators can see how the content is performing.
Apple today announced that it has invested more than £18 billion in the United Kingdom over the last five years, plus it has doubled the number of engineering teams in the country.
Apple says that it supports 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its product supply chain, and the iOS app economy. Apple's UK engineering teams work on Apple Intelligence, Private Cloud Compute, and silicon engineering.
"We've been serving customers in the U.K. for more than 40 years, and we're proud of our deep connection with communities across this country," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We're thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways."
Apple has also added jobs in the country through expanded Apple TV+ production, which has tripled in the past two years. Apple TV+ adds jobs for cast and crew in the UK, but also hundreds of suppliers across business sectors like construction, manufacturing, and hospitality.
Since the App Store launched in 2008, Apple says that UK developers have earned £9 billion from selling digital goods and services.
Thrilled to be back in London for an exciting and special week ahead! Thank you to the teams and customers at Apple Battersea for such a great visit during a busy time of year! pic.twitter.com/kxILR3IXWT
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) December 10, 2024
There’s nothing like London during the holidays. It was great to meet with Slow Horses star, Jack Lowden, to tell him how excited we are for season 5 on Apple TV+! pic.twitter.com/soFlPbBPQf
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 10, 2024
Apple's Greg Joswiak is in the UK this week, and today he shared a photo at Apple Battersea and said that he was looking for an "exciting and special week ahead." Apple CEO Tim Cook is in the country as well, and today he met with Slow Horses Star Jack Lowden.
Apple is ramping up work on a blood pressure monitoring feature for the Apple Watch and it could be ready as soon as 2025, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Blood pressure monitoring is a health addition that Apple has been working on for the last several years, and based on rumors, Apple wanted to debut it in 2024.
The feature would not provide exact systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements, instead tracking whether a user's blood pressure is trending upwards and sending an alert if hypertension is detected. After receiving an alert, the Apple Watch user could provide the information to a medical professional for additional testing.
Hypertension is known as a silent killer because it can go undetected and undiagnosed, leading to heart damage and death. High blood pressure often has few symptoms until it is notably advanced, and early detection via the Apple Watch has the potential to save lives. The Apple Watch already has the ability to detect atrial fibrillation or an irregular heart beat, plus it can be used to take one-lead ECG readings. There is also a blood oxygen monitoring feature, but it is disabled in current models in the United States due to patent issues.
According to Gurman, Apple is aiming to introduce the feature in the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and it would also presumably be included in the standard Apple Watch coming in 2025 as well. It is not yet entirely clear if Apple will be able to launch the feature in 2025, given that it was previously delayed. In 2022, Apple was reportedly dealing with accuracy issues during testing, but those problems may have been solved.
Apple is also continuing to work on noninvasive blood glucose monitoring, but that feature is not yet ready to launch.
Apple today released a firmware update for the Beats Pill, marking the first new software the speaker has received since its June 2024 launch. The firmware has a build number of 2C336, up from the 2C289 firmware the Beats Pill shipped with. Users will see version 2.2 in the Settings app when the device is connected to an iPhone or Mac.
We don't know what's included in the new firmware, and Apple does not typically provide information about Beats firmware updates.
Apple introduced the Beats Pill earlier this year after discontinuing the prior Beats Pill+ back in 2022. The new model is priced at $150 and it features an all-new speaker system, a removable lanyard, USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 water resistance, and a 24-hour battery life.
The Beats Pill is designed to work seamlessly with both Android and Apple devices, and it supports both Find My and Find My Device for tracking purposes.
Firmware updates for the Beats Pill are delivered over-the-air. Firmware will be installed while the Beats Pill is charging and in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that's connected to Wi-Fi. On Android devices, users need to download the Beats app for Android and connect the Android device to a power outlet to initiate a firmware update.
The next-generation Apple Watch Ultra is set to gain satellite connectivity, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple first introduced satellite connectivity for off-grid texting with the iPhone 14, and the feature has been included in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16, but no Apple Watch to date.
Apple's 2025 Apple Watch Ultra will be able to connect to a satellite network like the iPhone, allowing users to send texts via satellite when cellular networks and Wi-Fi are unavailable. When satellite connectivity first launched, it was limited to emergency text messages, but in iOS 18, Apple expanded it to allow users to send texts to anyone.
Apple is hoping that the satellite feature will encourage Apple Watch owners to update to a new Apple Watch Ultra, with the third-generation model set to come out in September 2025. Satellite connectivity would also allow Apple to better compete with companies like Garmin that manufacture dedicated satellite hardware for use in off-grid emergencies.
The Apple Watch Ultra is aimed at hikers, scuba divers, and adventurers, and satellite connectivity for the device would add another layer of safety for activities that are not near cellular towers.
As of right now, Apple still does not charge for satellite connectivity, and there is no word yet on what the company might charge. All iPhones come with two years of connectivity for free, and that will also likely be the case for the Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple is also planning to stop using Intel cellular modems in future Apple Watch models, instead transitioning to technology from MediaTek. MediaTek's modem chip adds support or 5G Recap, a 5G service that's designed for connected devices and wearables that don't need standard 5G speeds. The current cellular Apple Watch models still use 4G LTE, even though Apple has been using 5G in iPhones for several years.
Best Buy has Apple's 11-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi) for $469.00 today, down from $599.00. This is a new record low price on the tablet, and it's only available in Blue.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The other three colors are currently priced at $499.00 on Best Buy, which is still a solid second-best price for the M2 iPad Air. The deal on the Blue model will only last for today, so if you're interested be sure to make your purchase soon.
Best Buy is currently taking $100 off nearly every other model of the M2 iPad Air, including both 11-inch and 13-inch tablets. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find during the holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Over the past several months, Apple has raised its prices for some or all iCloud+ storage plans in 10 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, and the Philippines. The updated prices for each of these countries are listed in a support document on Apple's website.
In Japan, for example, prices have increased by around 15%.
Storage Tier
Old Pricing
New Pricing
50GB
¥130
¥150
200GB
¥400
¥450
2TB
¥1300
¥1500
6TB
¥3900
¥4500
12TB
¥7900
¥9000
Local currencies in many of the affected countries have declined against the U.S. dollar over the past few years, and that is likely the underlying reason for the price increases. iCloud+ prices in the U.S. have not changed this year.
iCloud+ plans provide users with extra storage beyond the 5GB of free storage included with iCloud by default. The plans also include some other perks, such as iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, and HomeKit Secure Video.
Samsung this week kicked off a new Winter Sale, offering discounts across smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, computers, and home appliances. Many of the deals in this sale are the same prices we tracked during Samsung's Black Friday and Cyber Week sales, making it a great last-minute opportunity to shop steep discounts on products that can still arrive before Christmas.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Right now, Amazon has the 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Display at an all-time low price, beating Samsung's deal. You can get this monitor for $767.99 ($832 off). Another notable Samsung monitor deal is on the 32-inch Smart Monitor M8, available for $399.99 on Samsung's own website ($300 off).
During this sale, if you purchase a select Samsung gaming monitor, you'll also get the 27-inch Odyssey G3 Gaming Monitor for free ($229.99 value). One of the best monitors to purchase with this offer is the 57-inch Odssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor for $1,599.99 ($1,129.99 off).
Similar to events like Prime Day, Samsung's Winter Sale has exclusive "deals of the day" that swap out every day. Today's offer is taking up to $1,000 off The Frame TVs, including every size currently sold on Samsung's website. This drops the popular 65-inch model down to $1,599.99, from $1,999.99.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find during the holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple Music today announced the addition of three new global radio stations: Apple Música Uno, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music Chill.
The stations join Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country. Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Music, Sports, and Beats, said:
Apple Music Radio is the beating heart of our service, representing the intersection of exceptional human voices and curation with cutting-edge technology that shapes and influences culture. We put a lot of time and care into making sure these new radio stations are really bespoke, highly curated, and hosted by some of the world's best music commentators with unique programming that we know our listeners will love.
The stations are hosted from state-of-the-art studios in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, London, Paris, and Berlin. Each has a different theme:
Apple Música Uno: Latin music from around the world, focusing on new and current releases, including Música Mexicana and reggaetón, tropical, Latin pop, and more. The station is hosted by Becky G, followed by Evelyn Sicairos and Lechero. Rauw Alejandro and Grupo Frontera have special shows of their own. On-air talent will speak Spanish and English.
Apple Music Club: Dance and electronic music with a focus on global club culture, hosted by Tim Sweeney and NAINA.
Apple Music Chill: Mood-focused music for respite, wellbeing, and ease, interspersed with "mindful moments" to remind listeners to find center and remain calm, hosted by Sabi with shows from Brian Eno, Stephan Moccio, and Zane Lowe.
Apple Música Uno, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music Chill are available to listen to now in the newly updated Radio tab of the Apple Music app, as well as for free, without a subscription, on the Apple Music Radio website.
Apple's Pro Display XDR is five years old today, marking half a decade since its release alongside the 2019 Mac Pro.
Released on December 10, 2019, the Pro Display XDR was Apple's re-entry into the high-end external monitor market, following a three-year hiatus after discontinuing the Thunderbolt Display in 2016. The announcement came at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2019, where the company presented the display as a rival to traditional reference monitors. The XDR in its name stands for "Extreme Dynamic Range," a feature that Apple emphasized as a key differentiator from other high-resolution monitors available at the time.
It features a 32-inch Retina display with a 6K resolution of 6,016 by 3,384 pixels, powered by Apple's proprietary LED backlighting system. Apple utilized blue-colored LEDs with custom lenses and reflectors to achieve a maximum brightness of up to 1,600 nits in HDR mode, while sustaining 1,000 nits across the entire screen indefinitely. This allows for what Apple describes as "stunningly accurate colors and contrast," supporting the P3 wide color gamut and delivering a claimed 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
The rear of the display features the same lattice pattern used on the 2019 Mac Pro, which functions as a heatsink to aid thermal management. The display is also available with matte nano-texture glass to cut down on glare—the first Apple product it's featured on.
Upon its release, the Pro Display XDR garnered significant attention for its high price. In the United States, the display starts at $4,999, and users who opt for the adjustable Pro Stand must pay an additional $999. The Pro Stand, which is sold separately, was met with mixed reactions upon its unveiling. Apple justified the cost by highlighting the engineering involved, with the Pro Stand offering height, tilt, and rotation adjustments, as well as support for both landscape and portrait modes. A VESA mount adapter is also available for those who prefer third-party mounting solutions.
As of its fifth anniversary, the Pro Display XDR remains one of only two external monitors sold by Apple, alongside the Studio Display, which was released in March 2022. Unlike the Pro Display XDR, the Studio Display comes with an integrated A13 Bionic chip, enabling features such as Center Stage for its built-in webcam, spatial audio, and support for Siri voice commands. The Pro Display XDR, however, has no webcam or any internal Apple silicon chip.
Speculation about a second-generation Pro Display XDR has been circulating for some time. In December 2022, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was working on an updated version of the display, this time with an Apple silicon chip to enhance its capabilities. In July 2023, Gurman reiterated that Apple was still developing multiple new displays. Display supply chain analyst Ross Young recently said that the next-generation Pro Display XDR will feature quantum dot technology, just like the latest MacBook Pro models. However, no further details have emerged regarding what other specific upgrades the Pro Display XDR might receive or a potential release time frame. For now, the Pro Display XDR remains Apple's flagship display offering.
Capcom's Resident Evil 2 remake has debuted on Apple devices, making it the fourth Resident Evil title to arrive on Apple's mobile platforms.
The survival horror shooter is available as a free download with a limited part of the game being playable, after which players must purchase the full game to continue. The good news is that Capcom is running a promotional discount of 75% off the usual price for a limited time.
From now until January 8, the base game can be purchased for $9.99, while all in-game rewards can be unlocked for $1.99. After that date, the game will be sold for $39.99.
Resident Evil 2 requires an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 series model to run, along with iPads and Macs equipped with M1 chips or later. The game supports cross-progression across supported Apple devices, so players can continue their progress whether playing on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. It's also a universal purchase, meaning a single purchase grants access across all compatible Apple devices.
Capcom says the app is approximately 31GB in size, and that the installation process requires the target drive to have at least twice the size of the app in storage space available. An internet connection is also required to start the game. Resident Evil 2 can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Apple has announced Tap to Pay on iPhone in the UAE, allowing independent sellers, small merchants, and large retailers in the country to use iPhones as a payment terminal.
Tap to Pay allows iPhones to accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets. All transactions are encrypted, and Apple has no information about what is purchased or the person who made the purchase.
No additional hardware or credit card machine is required to use Tap to Pay on iPhone. The feature uses NFC technology to securely authenticate the contactless payments, plus the feature also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options.
Adyen, Magnati, and Network International are the first payment platforms in the UAE to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone, which works with cards from leading payment networks, including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.
Tap to Pay on iPhone requires iPhone XS or newer models, and works for customers as any normal Apple Pay transaction would. Sellers just need to open up the app, register the sale, and present their iPhone to the buyer, who can then use an appropriate contactless payment method.
Tap to Pay on iPhone launched in February 2022 in the United States, and since then, Apple has been working to expand it to additional countries. The feature is available in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Taiwan, the UAE, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
