Apple Announces 'Apple Pay' Mobile Payment Solution, Enabled at Over 220,000 U.S. Merchants

At a special media event today, Apple announced its new Apple Pay payment solution for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which utilizes the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a new "Secure Element" functionality, and the built-in NFC antenna in conjunction with a credit card stored on iTunes. Apple Pay will also be compatible with the just-announced Apple Watch.

applepay1
To make a payment, users hold the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus to a receiver while holding the Touch ID home button. Apple states that card numbers will only be stored or shared in Secure Element, and if an iPhone is ever lost or stolen, Find my iPhone can suspend all payments. Apple is also touting privacy, stating that it does not record what users bought or how much they paid. Cashiers also do not see a name, credit card number, or security code.

“Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you’re using Apple Pay in a store, restaurant or other merchant, cashiers will no longer see your name, credit card number or security code, helping to reduce the potential for fraud,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “Apple doesn’t collect your purchase history, so we don’t know what you bought, where you bought it or how much you paid for it. And if your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can use Find My iPhone to quickly suspend payments from that device.”

applepay2
Apple Pay will first launch in the United States next month as an update to iOS 8 and will be compatible with American Express, Mastercard, and Visa credit and debit cards, with Citi, Bank of America, Capital One, Wells Fargo, and Chase also listed as partners.

Apple highlights that the program will work with over 220,000 U.S. retail stores, including Walgreens, Duane Reade, Macy's, Nike, Bloomingdales, Staples, Subway, McDonalds, and more. Apple will also launch a new Apple Pay API for developers to integrate the system into their apps.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Top Rated Comments

nagromme Avatar
120 months ago
Are you kidding? This is pretty much an exact clone of Google Wallet which came out in 2011. I have been using it almost daily since 2011 and I live in the US where according to some people where there isn't any contactless payments.

"Exact clone?" Google Wallet has the Apple secure storage chip, the same arrangements with banks and cards, the same developer support, and TouchID? And had all that since 2011? Amazing :p
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
swarmster Avatar
120 months ago
I hate to be that guy but it's pretty funny seeing people on twitter saying this is "godlike" when NFC has been around for a LONG time.

I own no Android products but it's still annoying how blind people are.
The companies that put Android on their phones may have stuck an NFC chip in one, but that's a long shot from what Apple's showing here.

Of course, a lot remains to be seen.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
genovelle Avatar
120 months ago
Are you kidding? This is pretty much an exact clone of Google Wallet which came out in 2011. I have been using it almost daily since 2011 and I live in the US where according to some people where there isn't any contactless payments.

So, Google Wallet uses a secure Touch ID system to verify your identity?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
swarmster Avatar
120 months ago
Are you kidding? This is pretty much an exact clone of Google Wallet which came out in 2011. I have been using it almost daily since 2011 and I live in the US where according to some people where there isn't any contactless payments.

Not acting as a middle-man or tracking purchases, not sharing credit card numbers or details with retailers, actual partnerships with real world banks and retailers. Outside a few enthusiasts, I'm not sure I've ever heard of anyone using Google Wallet (okay, they gave me $10 off at Newegg once).

It remains to be seen whether this will take off, but Apple's at least making an effort in positioning it. Google Wallet's felt like the kind of Google endless-beta that might suddenly disappear any quarter now.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reclusive46 Avatar
120 months ago
Why roll it out in the US first where contactless use is pretty much non-existent? Contactelss usage and acceptance is much higher in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cloudyo Avatar
120 months ago
This has nothing to do with NFC being new. This payment solution is the first of its kind. It happens to use NFC but thats not the point.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
ios 17 namedrop

Police Departments and News Sites Spreading Misinformation About How iOS 17 NameDrop Feature Works

Monday November 27, 2023 5:11 pm PST by
Apple with iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 introduced a new NameDrop feature that is designed to allow users to place Apple devices near one another to quickly exchange contact information. Sharing contact information is done with explicit user permission, but some news organizations and police departments have been spreading misinformation about how NameDrop functions. As noted by The Washington...
All New CarPlay Five New Features Article 2

What to Expect From All-New CarPlay, Still Listed as Coming 'Late 2023'

Tuesday November 28, 2023 7:44 am PST by
At WWDC in June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, increased personalization, and more. Apple's website still says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in "late 2023," but it has not shared...
iOS 17

iOS 17.1.2 Update for iPhone Likely to Be Released This Week

Monday November 27, 2023 8:24 am PST by
Apple will likely release iOS 17.1.2 this week, based on mounting evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs in recent days. As a minor update, iOS 17.1.2 should be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues might be addressed. Some users have continued to experience Wi-Fi issues on iOS 17.1.1, so perhaps iOS 17.1.2 will include the same fix for Wi-Fi...
Apple 5G Modem Feature Triad

Apple to Discontinue Custom 5G Modem Development, Claim Reports

Wednesday November 29, 2023 4:19 am PST by
Apple is discontinuing in-house modem development after several unsuccessful attempts to perfect its own custom 5G modem chip, according to unconfirmed reports coming out of Asia. According to the operator of news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, supply chain sources related to Apple's 5G modem departments claim that the company's attempts to develop its own modem have...
Apple Logo

Apple Discontinued These 5 Products This Year

Monday November 27, 2023 7:03 am PST by
As the end of 2023 nears, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Apple products discontinued in 2023 include the iPhone 13 mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MagSafe Battery Pack, MagSafe Duo Charger, and leather accessories. Also check out our lists of Apple products discontinued in 2022 and 2021. iPhone Mini ...
Google Drive

Some Google Drive Users' Files Have Mysteriously Vanished

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:55 am PST by
Google Drive users have been warned not to disconnect their account within the Google Drive for desktop app, after a spate of reports of files going missing from the cloud service. Alarm bells began ringing last week on Google's community support site when some users reported files mysteriously disappearing from Google Drive, with some posters claiming six or more months of data had...