iOS 11.2 Public Beta Update Introduces Apple Pay Cash

Apple plans to introduce Apple Pay Cash in iOS 11.2 and watchOS 4.2, and starting today, the feature is available for beta testers in the United States. Apple Pay Cash is included in the new iOS 11.2 public beta that is being provided to public beta testers this morning. Some developers running iOS 11.2 are also seeing Apple Pay Cash appear as an option in the Messages app this morning.

Since the beginning of October, Apple employees have been testing Apple Pay Cash in a special version of iOS 11.1 that allowed the feature to be enabled through an internal device certificate. The test was initially limited to corporate employees, but later expanded to retail employees. Apple Pay Cash did not end up shipping in iOS 11.1, but it is apparently ready for iOS 11.2.

apple pay cash 1
Apple Pay Cash works through the Messages app and is designed to allow for quick person-to-person money transfers, much like Square Cash or Venmo. It's available as a dedicated iMessage app in the built-in Messages app, with cash transferred through iMessage transactions. Though most Apple Pay Cash coverage has focused on the iPhone, money can also be sent using an Apple Watch.

Cash can be sent from a linked debit or credit card, while received cash is stored in an Apple Pay Cash card in Wallet that can be used for purchases or sent to a bank account. Sending cash through a credit card incurs a 3% fee, while sending cash from a debit card is free.

send receive apple pay cash via messages ios 11
The Apple Pay Cash card available in Wallet is being made available through a partnership with Green Dot, a company that offers prepaid Discover cards. For Apple Pay Cash to work, both parties need to have the feature enabled and activated. Money can only be sent in a one-on-one message, with Apple Pay Cash not available in group messages.

Apple Pay Cash will also be available on the Apple Watch with watchOS 4.2, and users can send cash directly from the Messages app on the wrist-worn device.

To use Apple Pay Cash in today's beta, both people will need to be running the iOS 11.2 public beta. $10 minimum must be loaded onto the Apple Pay Cash card in Wallet, two-factor authentication must be turned on, and an iPhone 6 or later is required. Apple Pay Cash is limited to the U.S. at this time.

Apple first announced person-to-person Apple Pay as an iOS 11 feature at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but it was not implemented in any of the iOS 11 betas and towards the end of the beta testing period, Apple confirmed it would be coming in a future iOS 11 update.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Top Rated Comments

sniffies Avatar
77 months ago
What ever happened to iCloud iMessage???
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DaveOP Avatar
77 months ago
I wouldn’t touch these new pay systems with a 10 mile barge pole with iOS 11 in it’s current bug filled mess! I haven’t had Apple Pay work since the last update...

I tried to watch a You Tube video on Touch Arcades website the other day and it crashed Safari completely...

It’s an utter fudging mess, I have never had as many crashes and bugs in several years of iOS use as I have had with iOS 11!!
Bummer, my experience has been exactly the opposite. Most places I shop take ApplePay, and have had 0 issues on iOS 11 or WatchOS 4.1. Sorry you've had a bad experience.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
procrastinasn Avatar
77 months ago
Why would someone use this over PayPal?
[LIST=1]
* Easy to enable for any iOS user (only requires iCloud)
* Don't need to create PayPal account
* It's not PayPal
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
77 months ago
BRB, using my twin's phone to steal their money thanks to failures of FaceID.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WestonHarvey1 Avatar
77 months ago
$20?! Get a job! Buy your own damn ramen!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PizzaBoxStyle Avatar
77 months ago
That child is never going to learn how to budget and save properly if their mother continues to send then cash for ramen on demand like that. :D
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, 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, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
Apple Watch Edition Gold 2015

Original Apple Watch is Now Obsolete, Including $17,000 Gold Model

Monday October 2, 2023 9:15 am PDT by
All first-generation Apple Watch models released in 2015 were added to Apple's obsolete products list on September 30, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors. As a result, these outdated "Series 0" watches are no longer eligible for repairs or other service at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Provider locations. The list of obsolete models includes the first-generation...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Mac Trade-In Changes May Indicate New Model to Launch This Month

Tuesday October 3, 2023 6:30 am PDT by
Apple may be proceeding with plans to release a new Mac model this month, according to potentially related information obtained by MacRumors. Details pertaining to imminent changes to Mac trade-ins provided to MacRumors by a verified source suggest that Apple will likely begin accepting new models for trade-in this month. Similar changes in June coincided with WWDC, when Apple began accepting...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...