GameStop and Marriott International Announce Apple Pay Partnerships

apple_pay_thumbMore news continues to circulate following yesterday's Apple Watch-centered media event, with today bringing confirmation that two big new companies, GameStop and Marriott, are partnering with Apple to support Apple Pay.

First announced yesterday, Marriott confirmed that it will be the first hospitality company to offer Apple Pay to its customers. The roll-out will begin sometime this summer and launch in eleven total Marriott-owned locations like The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION Miami, Renaissance Hotels, and Marriott Hotels.

“Approximately 75 percent of our guests travel with one or more mobile devices, and it is even higher among 25-35 year olds – a group that will make up a much larger proportion of our guests over the next three years,” said George Corbin, senior vice president, Marriott Digital. “Millions of customers already use Marriott Mobile to quickly book a hotel, check-in, or check out. Now, Apple Pay can make it virtually effortless.”

Guests can expect the usual ease-of-use in placing their iPhone 6, 6 Plus, or following its April 24 launch, Apple Watch, near a contactless reader at the front desk to pay for their room. The company also announced an app for the Apple Watch that will allow Marriott Rewards members advanced check-in, notifications for when their room is ready, and an easier check out process upon leaving a hotel.

Following in Marriott's footsteps, popular video game and technology retailer GameStop confirmed that it will launch nationwide support for Apple Pay, meaning "more than 4,200 U.S. stores", beginning this month. The company hopes the Apple Pay support will grant customers a more secure and hassle-free purchasing experience in its shops.

“We are excited to make it easier and more convenient for our customers to shop at GameStop,” said Jason Cochran, senior vice president of U.S. stores at GameStop. “Providing a positive, memorable customer experience is our top priority. Incorporating the latest in mobile technology, like Apple Pay, into our stores is another way we are offering customers options to help simplify their purchases.”

A few competitors have recently entered the contactless payments market, but Apple's still fairly new Apple Pay service has continued to grow since its initial launch last fall. At yesterday's media event, Tim Cook noted that since its October launch, the service has expanded to 2,500 banks with nearly 700,000 merchants supporting Apple Pay across the U.S.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 May See 'Significant' Dynamic Island Changes

Monday July 14, 2025 12:11 am PDT by
The iPhone's Dynamic Island experience is set to undergo "significant evolution" over the next few years, according to a new rumor. Earlier this month, a report suggested that the iPhone 17 lineup will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, but little else was explained about the software changes. Now, the leaker known as "Majin Bu" appears to have corroborated this, commenting ...

Top Rated Comments

macduke Avatar
135 months ago
They really need to work on getting more grocery stores to use Apple Pay. But this is still good news.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
parisi2274 Avatar
135 months ago
They really need to fact check a bit more....

"with nearly 700,000 merchants supporting Apple Pay across the U.S."

More like a handful of merchants whose total retail locations combined equal 700,000...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
heeloliver Avatar
135 months ago
It would be super cool if Marriot would allow you to unlock your door using Apple Watch sometime.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kilcher Avatar
135 months ago
They really need to fact check a bit more....

"with nearly 700,000 merchants supporting Apple Pay across the U.S."

More like a handful of merchants whose total retail locations combined equal 700,000...

Exactly what I was thinking, except more like - 200,000 retail locations and 500,000 vending machines.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
heeloliver Avatar
135 months ago
Who are the remaining 25 percent?!

Babies
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chatter Avatar
135 months ago
Elder people / Traditional families who don't like mobile phones?

I'm guessing that iPads and Laptops also count in their "multiple mobile devices" stat.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)