American Express Releases Nostalgic TV Ad For Apple Pay

American Express over the weekend released a new advertisement called "Retrospective" that promotes how its timeless safety and security are now available through Apple Pay. The 30-second spot takes a trip down memory lane as it recounts the brand's historic past, starring a number of famous cardholders such as Jerry Seinfeld and Tina Fey in both the past and present.

applepaytouchid
The advertisement first aired during the mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead on Sunday night and will also be featured during the NBA All-Star Game later this week. American Express does not provide an exact number of Apple Pay signups, but Ad Age reports that the credit company has received "encouraging feedback" from early iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus adopters.


Apple Pay makes up two of every three contactless payments on Visa, MasterCard and American Express, while an additional 750 banks and credit unions have signed on to support the iPhone-based service. Apple Pay is currently limited to the United States, although an international rollout could start with Canada in March.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....

Top Rated Comments

infantrytrophy Avatar
141 months ago
Another feature of Amex/Apple Pay

Ever since I registered my Amex card with Apple Pay, I now receive instant notifications of all purchases on that card. This not only occurs for purchases using the NFC feature of the phone, but the notifications also appear when the card is swiped in the old way. One example: when a restaurant server takes my card away and swipes it, the charge notification instantly appears on my phone - before the server returns to the table with the card and charge slip. The phone was not used to make the charge -- the card was swiped in an old magnetic-swipe device. This notification is awesome, and is a great security feature.

Interestingly, this instant notification feature (for non-iPhone transactions) does not appear for two other cards that are registered on Apple Pay - only the Amex card has this feature.

This feature is so useful that It surprises me that Amex does not advertise it. Frankly, all cards should work this way. Wouldn't everyone want to know instantly whenever your credit card us used for a transaction?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
urbanslaughter1997 Avatar
141 months ago
Not true!

You guys keep saying that apple pay makes up two of every three contactless payments, but this is not true. That is not what the original quote says. He says that apple pay accounts for $2 of every $3 of contactless payments. These are not the same thing. If every apple pay sale is for $1,000 and every other contactless payment is for $1 then the difference could be significant. Please stop asserting this.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anonymous Freak Avatar
141 months ago
Interestingly, this instant notification feature (for non-iPhone transactions) does not appear for two other cards that are registered on Apple Pay - only the Amex card has this feature.

This is based on the card issuer, not the card network. There are Visa and Mastercard issuers (aka: banks,) that do this also. It's not even ApplePay specific, it's just that ApplePay is what got you to enable it on your Amex.

Many banks provide this through their existing mobile app, and have for years. (I had one bank that if I swiped my card while buying groceries, I would get the alert on my phone before the receipt had even finished printing. And this was long before ApplePay.)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mark Booth Avatar
141 months ago
I use Apple Pay wherever I can. But in places that don't yet accept Apple Pay (iPhone payment), I use my AmEx and I absolutely LOVE how I instantly get notified (on my iPhone 6) when a purchase is made with AmEx. Even if I order something on the web, the instant my card is charged I get a notification on my iPhone telling me about the charge.

If my AmEx number is ever compromised/stolen, I'll know about it at the same instant the thief is still standing at the register trying to use my card.

Love it!

It's my understanding that most other credit card companies are not as quick with the notifications as AmEx. Therefore, AmEx is the ONLY card I use with Passbook/Apple Pay. If I can't use Apple Pay or AmEx to pay, I pay cash!

Mark
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdridwan47 Avatar
141 months ago
This is way better than the ad Apple released today.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
snebes Avatar
141 months ago
Ever since I registered my Amex card with Apple Pay, I now receive instant notifications of all purchases on that card. This not only occurs for purchases using the NFC feature of the phone, but the notifications also appear when the card is swiped in the old way. One example: when a restaurant server takes my card away and swipes it, the charge notification instantly appears on my phone - before the server returns to the table with the card and charge slip. The phone was not used to make the charge -- the card was swiped in an old magnetic-swipe device. This notification is awesome, and is a great security feature.

Interestingly, this instant notification feature (for non-iPhone transactions) does not appear for two other cards that are registered on Apple Pay - only the Amex card has this feature.

This feature is so useful that It surprises me that Amex does not advertise it. Frankly, all cards should work this way. Wouldn't everyone want to know instantly whenever your credit card us used for a transaction?
It's a great feature--but far from "new". Probably why it isn't advertised. I get these notifications for all my cards. They used to be just emails, now they are push alerts (better IMO).

And this ad is great. I forgot about Seinfeld hocking the Amex cards.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)