Joe Rossignol

Joe joined MacRumors as an Editor in January 2015, based out of Toronto, Canada. He has been writing about Apple since 2008, with bylines at 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, and many other tech-focused publications.

Joe has been cited by major media outlets, including Bloomberg News, CBS, CNBC, CNN, NBC, Reuters, TechCrunch, and The Washington Post. Many of his headlines have been featured by tech news aggregator Techmeme.



Apple Park Decorated With Rainbow Colors in Celebration of Steve Jobs and Formal Opening of Campus

Friday May 17, 2019 11:23 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple Park is decorated with the colors of Apple's classic rainbow logo today in celebration of the formal opening of Apple's new headquarters, and as a tribute to its late co-founder Steve Jobs, who helped conceptualize the spaceship-like design of the main building on the campus prior to his death. First and foremost, Apple has set up a stage with a rainbow arch within the inner circle of the main building, as we shared last week. The rainbow colors can further be seen on some stairs and walkways at Apple Park, on coffee cups at the Caffè Macs employee cafeteria, and on some of Apple's shuttle buses. Apple employees have also received classic Apple rainbow logo pins with the message "thank you for being part of what makes Apple, Apple." Apple's design chief Jony Ive reflected on the rainbow's significance in a recent interview:There is the resonance with the rainbow logo that's been part of our identity for many years. The rainbow is also a positive and joyful expression of some of our inclusion values and I think that one of the primary reasons the idea resonated so immediately and so profoundly with us was the form -- the connection from an aesthetic design point of view. A semi-circle relates so beautifully and naturally to the form of the ring.Rumors suggest that Lady Gaga will be making a special performance at Apple Park later today. The pop star has visited Apple before, having previously dropped by its Infinite Loop campus to visit Steve Jobs. Apple executive Eddy Cue recounted that experience in an interview with Steven Levy last year:Lady
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Apple Promotes Music-Making on Mac in New Ad

Friday May 17, 2019 6:41 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared a new "Behind the Music" ad in the United Kingdom that promotes music-making on the Mac with portraits of artists. "From bedroom studio to stadium tour, the British music scene is alive," the video description says. "See the emerging and the iconic, the graft and the glory, a glimpse behind the scenes and behind the music." The ad is accompanied by a new page on Apple's website that says "Mac is the instrument of choice for musicians everywhere." The page highlights Apple's music software, including GarageBand, Logic Pro X, and MainStage 3. The ad is part of Apple's larger "Behind the Mac" campaign launched last
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Apple's Former Retail Chief Angela Ahrendts Named to Airbnb's Board of Directors

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:17 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's former retail chief Angela Ahrendts, who left the company last month after five years, has joined Airbnb's board of directors. In May 2018, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said that he planned to appoint at least one woman to the company's board, according to CNN. Ahrendts will be the second woman to join Airbnb's board after Ann Mather of Pixar and Disney last August. "Angela has a reputation for pushing brands to dream big, and she told me that's exactly what she hopes to bring to Airbnb's Board," said Chesky. Ahrendts reflected on her time at Apple in February:The last five years have been the most stimulating, challenging and fulfilling of my career. Through the teams' collective efforts, Retail has never been stronger or better positioned to make an even greater contribution for Apple. I feel there is no better time to pass the baton to Deirdre, one of Apple's strongest executives. I look forward to watching how this amazing team, under her leadership, will continue to change the world one person and one community at a time.Here's what Apple CEO Tim Cook had to say:I want to thank Angela for inspiring and energizing our teams over the past five years. She has been a positive, transformative force, both for Apple's stores and the communities they serve. We all wish her the very best as she begins a new chapter.Prior to joining Apple in 2014, Ahrendts was the CEO of famous fashion company Burberry, and before that, she held positions at Liz Claiborne and Donna Karan. Ahrendts joined Apple at a time when Apple was experimenting with luxury products, such as
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Apple Pay Launch in the Netherlands Appears Imminent

Thursday May 16, 2019 7:11 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple Pay will likely launch in the Netherlands in the very near future, as the service has now been elevated to "beta" status internally at Apple ahead of its much-anticipated rollout in the country. The server-side change was first spotted by WolfMeister's Small Tools and confirmed by MacRumors. Earlier this month, Dutch bank ING revealed that Apple Pay is "coming soon" to the Netherlands. Apple has since confirmed the upcoming launch on its Dutch website, but without providing a specific timeframe. Apple Pay has been gradually expanding across Europe and the Middle East, launching in Poland, Norway, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, Austria, and Iceland over the last year. The Netherlands is one of the most populous countries in Europe that is still awaiting Apple Pay. Apple Pay is also coming soon to select banks in Hungary and Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Apple Pay can be used anywhere contactless payments are accepted with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch. (Thanks, LocalITNerd!)
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AirPlay 2 Support Rolling Out to Select DTS Play-Fi Products

Thursday May 16, 2019 6:23 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
DTS today announced availability of AirPlay 2 in select DTS Play-Fi products, including the McIntosh RS200 wireless loudspeaker system and the Arcam rPlay music streamer, with support for additional products to be added later this year. AirPlay 2 enables multi-room audio playback with other AirPlay 2 devices, such as the HomePod, Apple TV, and select speakers from Sonos, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and others. AirPlay 2 devices also appear in the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch and can be controlled with Siri. AirPlay is Apple's wireless streaming protocol, enabling users to beam audio from Apple devices like an iPhone or Mac to supported speakers, including content from Apple Music, iTunes, Podcasts, Netflix, YouTube, and elsewhere. The DTS Play-Fi ecosystem includes more than 200 interoperable speakers, sound bars, set-top boxes, and audio/video receivers from brands such as McIntosh, Arcam, Pioneer, Polk Audio, Klipsch, Soundcast, MartinLogan, Definitive Technology, Phorus, Integra, Onkyo, SVS Sound, and Wren Sound. DTS Play-Fi products with AirPlay 2 support are also compatible with
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Apple Rises to Third in Annual Fortune 500 List of America's Largest Companies

Thursday May 16, 2019 5:30 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple has ranked third in the annual Fortune 500 list of the highest-revenue-generating companies based in the United States, with $265.5 billion revenue in fiscal 2018, trailing only Walmart and oil giant ExxonMobil. Apple moved up one spot in this year's rankings, overtaking billionaire investor Warren Buffett's holding company Berkshire Hathaway. Fortune's description of Apple:Two thousand eighteen will be remembered as the year that Apple first achieved a market value of $1 trillion, as well as when growth in iPhones, Apple's largest single product by far, began to slow. Before the introduction of the iPod—the iPhone's precursor—Apple was a once-exciting computer maker. Now, only a retailer and an oil company are bigger. Its challenge: as consumers hang onto phones longer, Apple is repositioning itself as a services provider. Already iTunes, Apple Music, iCloud, and cuts from sales in its popular Apple Store generate billions of dollars of sales.Apple has made the Fortune 500 list for 37 years and has now cracked the top 10 spots for seven consecutive years:2019: 3rd 2018: 4th 2017: 3rd 2016: 3rd 2015: 5th 2014: 5th 2013: 6th 2012: 17th 2011: 35th 2010: 56thOther notable technology companies in this year's Fortune 500 include Amazon in fifth, Google parent company Alphabet in 15th, and Microsoft in
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Alexa Now Supports Apple Music in Australia and New Zealand on Echo, Sonos, and Fire TV Devices

Wednesday May 15, 2019 8:29 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Alexa now supports Apple Music in Australia and New Zealand on Amazon Echo and Amazon Fire TV devices, and compatible Sonos speakers, as reflected in a recently updated Apple support document. This means Apple Music subscribers who own one of those devices in those countries can now ask Alexa to play songs, artists, playlists, and more from Apple Music. This functionality first launched in the United States in December before expanding to the United Kingdom and Ireland last month. Read our guide on how to set up Apple Music in the Alexa app, including how to make it the default music service so that you don't have to say "on Apple Music" each time you ask Alexa to play something. (Thanks, Brad!)
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Apple-Designed iPhone Modems Could Take Until 2025, Intel Confirms Interest in Its Modem Business

Wednesday May 15, 2019 7:32 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
The Information has published a lengthy look into Apple's seemingly deteriorating relationship with Intel in terms of iPhone modems, leading to Apple's rekindled relationship with rival chipmaker Qualcomm last month. The report claims that Apple's frustrations with Intel's modem efforts began much earlier than some previous reports had indicated, and involved struggles with modems for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, not just 5G smartphone modem development that Intel abandoned last month.It was early 2017 and Apple was preparing a new line of iPhones to be released the next year, but the Intel modem for the devices, known as the 7560, wasn't working properly, according to two people with knowledge of the relationship. […] Intel had already overhauled the modem four times to bring it up to par with the latest Qualcomm modem. But missed deadlines and continuing technical issues with the chip were making Apple executives anxious, said one of the people. "This would have never happened at Apple under my watch," Mr. Srouji barked at his Intel counterpart, Venkata "Murthy" Renduchintala, during a meeting on Apple's campus, according to the person, who was present at the meeting.The size and structure of Intel's mobile division made it difficult to efficiently engineer modems, with teams struggling to work together, according to multiple current and former Intel employees and industry partners cited in the report. In a statement provided to The Information, Intel also confirmed interest in its modem business from many companies, reportedly including Apple:
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Apple Pay Will Soon Launch in 16 More Countries, Including Bulgaria and Croatia

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:39 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple Pay has been gradually expanding across Europe and the Middle East, launching in Poland, Norway, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, Austria, and Iceland over the last year. Now, mobile banking service Monese has revealed that Apple Pay is also coming soon to its cardholders in Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Many of these countries are located in Eastern Europe. We will soon bring #ApplePay - an easy, secure and private way to pay - to customers in:🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇨🇾 Cyprus 🇪🇪 Estonia 🇬🇷 Greece 🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇲🇹 Malta 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇷🇴 Romania 🇸🇰 Slovakia🇸🇮 Slovenia pic.twitter.com/QFleLbs0Jl— Monese (@monese) May 15, 2019 Apple Pay is also nearing launch in the Netherlands, Hungary, and Luxembourg for a total of 16 upcoming countries. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that Apple Pay will be available in more than 40 regions by the end of 2019. Apple Pay first launched in the United States in October 2014 and has since expanded to dozens of countries and territories. The service can be used anywhere contactless payments are accepted with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch, and it is also accepted by select apps and
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Here Are the Green and Lavender Colors Rumored for 2019's iPhone XR

Tuesday May 14, 2019 10:26 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Last week, Japanese blog Mac Otakara claimed that the 2019 version of the iPhone XR will be available in new Green and Lavender colors, with the existing Blue and Coral colors to be discontinued. White, Black, Yellow, and (PRODUCT)RED will continue to be offered, according to the report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has since tweeted a photo of what appears to be shards of casing glass for the next-generation iPhone XR in a variety of colors, including lavender, green, white, black, and yellow. And here’s what appear to be your next-generation iPhone XR colors (lavender purple and green instead of blue and coral) as @idanbo reported earlier this week: https://t.co/KQQ6JKmZg9 pic.twitter.com/7k3WZC2ZUi— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) May 14, 2019 Based on this information, we've mocked up what the next iPhone XR lineup could look like, including a comparison with the current colors. Our renders include a dual-lens rear camera in a square bump, as rumored for the next iPhone XR, but otherwise the device looks similar to the current generation. MacRumors render of rumored next-generation iPhone XR colors Apple should unveil the next iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR in September as usual. A recent survey found that the iPhone XR remained the best-selling iPhone model last quarter in the United
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Apple Pay Now Accepted for iTunes, App Store, Apple Music, and iCloud Purchases in Some Countries

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:32 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple Pay is now an accepted payment method for iTunes, App Store, and Apple Books purchases, as well as Apple Music and iCloud storage subscriptions, as reflected in a recently updated Apple support document. To link any credit or debit cards set up in the Wallet app with your Apple ID account, navigate to Settings > iTunes & App Store. Next, select your Apple ID email and then tap View Apple ID > Manage Payments > Add Payment Method. The cards should be listed under a new "Found in Wallet" section. This functionality is rolling out as a server-side change in the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Russia, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates, so it is not available for all users yet. In the United States, users can also link an Apple Pay Cash card to an Apple ID account. There are a handful of benefits to Apple Pay billing for Apple ID account-tied purchases, including the ability to conveniently add multiple credit or debit cards, the improved security of Apple Pay, and the ability to better manage Apple Music and iCloud storage subscriptions from the Wallet app. This functionality arrives ahead of the launch of the Apple Card credit card in the United States this summer. (Thanks, Dean Lubaki!)
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Apple Says Some iCloud Services Experiencing Slowness [Resolved]

Tuesday May 14, 2019 8:50 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple has updated its System Status page to reflect ongoing performance issues with a handful of iCloud services. Apple says some users "may be experiencing slower than normal performance" when using the iCloud Drive, Notes, or Photos apps, while some users "may be experiencing a problem" with iCloud storage upgrades. The issues began around 6 a.m. Pacific Time, according to Apple. We'll update this post once the issues have been resolved. Update: Apple says all of the issues are now
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HP's New Dual-Screen Gaming Laptop Takes Apple's Touch Bar to the Next Level

Tuesday May 14, 2019 7:23 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
HP today unveiled its first dual-screen gaming laptop, the OMEN X 2S. The notebook's primary 15-inch 1080p display is complemented by a secondary six-inch 1080p touchscreen integrated above the keyboard. Like the Touch Bar on recent MacBook Pro models, the second screen on the OMEN X 2S is designed for multitasking. For instance, while gaming, players could use the screen to message teammates in Discord, browse music on Spotify, or stream Twitch or YouTube, complete with support for dedicated hotkeys. One compromise of the second screen is that the trackpad is positioned to the right of the keyboard, rather than in a center position, but HP believes that most gamers would prefer using their own mice, according to Engadget. As far as specs go, the OMEN X 2S is equipped with up to a ninth-generation Intel Core i9 processor, up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 graphics, up to 2TB of SSD storage, and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM. The notebook uses an advanced thermal solution with three-sided venting to enable five-way airflow. The notebook is 20mm thick with a full metal chassis, but weight and battery life have yet to be disclosed. HP expects the OMEN X 2S to be available by June, with a starting price of $2,100 in the United
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Apple's New Warren Buffett Game Pulled From App Store Outside of United States

Monday May 13, 2019 11:33 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Just one week after Apple surprised us all with its first iPhone game since 2008, starring billionaire investor Warren Buffett, the game has been pulled from the App Store outside of the United States with no confirmed reason. Warren Buffett's Paper Wizard is a simple game that tasks players with flinging newspapers to collect Warren Bucks. The game gradually increases in difficulty as players make their way from Buffett's native Omaha, Nebraska to Apple's hometown of Cupertino, California, including a visit to Apple Park. Buffett was a childhood newspaper carrier who for years held newspaper-tossing contests during Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholders meeting. Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the game during a surprise appearance at the annual meeting earlier this month. While the game's developer is listed as Wildlife Designs on the App Store, the app is copyrighted, maintained, and operated by Apple, making this its first iPhone game since Texas Hold'em back in 2008. Cook makes a brief appearance in the game himself, welcoming players to Cupertino, referred to as the home of Apple. Did Apple pull their new game, Warren Buffett’s Paper Wizard from the App Store already? It tells me it’s not available (but I was able to download it a few days ago) cc @MacRumors @rsgnl https://t.co/9fNi9ZLktb— Julian Schiavo (@justJS_dev) May 13, 2019 Given that Warren Buffett's Paper Wizard only takes minutes to complete, and that Buffett's high score of 15,350 is seemingly unbreakable, the game appears to be little more than a short-lived novelty. As such, it is not
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Powerbeats Pro Orders Begin Later This Month in UK, Germany, and France, More Countries to Follow in June

Monday May 13, 2019 9:10 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's totally wireless Powerbeats Pro earphones became available to pre-order May 3 in the United States and Canada, with the first deliveries to customers beginning last Friday. The earphones are initially available in black only, with ivory, moss, and navy colors set to become available this summer. While the black Powerbeats Pro remain listed as "coming soon" on Apple's online store elsewhere, recently updated fine print on the Beats website indicates that the earphones will begin their worldwide rollout later in May and June. Powerbeats Pro will be available to pre-order in black later in May in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, followed by Australia, Singapore, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Austria, Italy, Spain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Mexico, and Brazil in June, according to the fine print. As in the United States and Canada, the additional colors will then become available later this summer in most of the other countries listed above, although Apple cautions that color availability is subject to change. Powerbeats Pro shipments are already considerably backlogged, with orders placed today estimated for delivery between June 5 and June 12 in the United States. Only the earliest of customers who pre-ordered have already received their earphones, with many more deliveries set to continue this week. Powerbeats Pro are Apple's first totally wireless Beats earphones, equipped with the same H1 chip as the second-generation AirPods for hands-free "Hey Siri" and faster connection speeds between the iPhone,
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Supreme Court Allows App Store Monopoly Lawsuit Against Apple to Proceed [Updated]

Monday May 13, 2019 7:17 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled 5-4 against Apple in an anticompetitive case involving the App Store, allowing iPhone users to move forward with their class action lawsuit against the company, as first reported by CNBC. From the Supreme Court's ruling:In this case, however, several consumers contend that Apple charges too much for apps. The consumers argue, in particular, that Apple has monopolized the retail market for the sale of apps and has unlawfully used its monopolistic power to charge consumers higher-than competitive prices. A claim that a monopolistic retailer (here, Apple) has used its monopoly to overcharge consumers is a classic antitrust claim. But Apple asserts that the consumer plaintiffs in this case may not sue Apple because they supposedly were not "direct purchasers" from Apple under our decision in Illinois Brick Co. v. Illinois, 431 U. S. 720. We disagree. The plaintiffs purchased apps directly from Apple and therefore are direct purchasers under Illinois Brick. At this early pleadings stage of the litigation, we do not assess the merits of the plaintiffs' antitrust claims against Apple, nor do we consider any other defenses Apple might have. We merely hold that the Illinois Brick direct-purchaser rule does not bar these plaintiffs from suing Apple under the antitrust laws. We affirm the judgment of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The lawsuit was filed in 2011 by a group of iPhone users who believe Apple violates federal antitrust laws by requiring apps to be sold through its App Store, where it collects a 30
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Another Leak Points Towards Controversial Square Camera Bump on All Three 2019 iPhones

Monday May 13, 2019 7:03 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Just four months ahead of September, when Apple typically unveils new iPhones, leaks and rumors are starting to surface fast and frequently. Render of 2019 iPhone with triple-lens rear camera via OnLeaks The latest comes courtesy of Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who tweeted a photo of alleged case molds for a trio of upcoming iPhones over the weekend. If accurate, the molds suggest that all three 2019 models will feature a large square camera bump, as seen in many leaks to date. iPhone molds like these are typically created based on design specifications and dimensions that leak out of the factories of Apple manufacturing partners such as Foxconn, allowing third-party accessory makers to prepare properly-fitting cases ahead of time, but they are not always accurate. Alleged next iPhone case moldings show what we discussed in our story last week in terms of new cameras. 3 on the high end, 2 on the new XR. Plus all models apparently getting a square, at least based on this one mold floating around. https://t.co/BhAFTZZL6u pic.twitter.com/QlNJTsApzX— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) May 13, 2019 The rumored design of the camera bump has proven quite controversial since it was first leaked by OnLeaks in January, with many criticizing the look of both the bump itself and the positioning of the camera lenses within the bump. It is unclear why Apple would use the square bump for the next iPhone XR if rumors about it having a dual-lens rear camera are accurate, as the existing pill-shaped bump used on the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max would seem sufficient, but
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Apple Promotes iPhone XR's Battery Life in New Ad: 'You'll Lose Power Before It Will'

Monday May 13, 2019 5:37 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple has shared a new ad titled "Up Late" on its YouTube channel that promotes the iPhone XR having the "longest battery life in an iPhone ever." The 30-second spot shows various people falling asleep while using an iPhone, including a parking attendant streaming an Inter Milan game, a woman laying on a couch and playing a game, and a man sitting on the end of a bed and watching a baby monitor, setting up the tagline "you'll lose power before it will." "iPhone XR has the longest battery life in an iPhone ever," the video description reads. "So whether you're streaming video, watching live sports or playing a game, you'll lose power before your iPhone XR will." The ad is set to the soundtrack "Stay Awake" by Julie Andrews from the classic musical fantasy film "Mary Poppins." Despite being cheaper than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the iPhone XR does in fact have the longest battery life of any iPhone ever thanks to its large 6.1-inch size and more power efficient LCD versus the OLED displays in the latter two
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Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'I Don't Think a Four-Year Degree is Necessary to Be Proficient at Coding'

Friday May 10, 2019 10:49 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited an Apple Store in Orlando, Florida to meet with 16-year-old Liam Rosenfeld, one of 350 scholarship winners who will be attending Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference next month. Apple CEO Tim Cook, left, and WWDC 2019 scholar Liam Rosenfeld via TechCrunch Echoing comments he shared with the Orlando Sentinel, Cook told TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino that it is "pretty impressive" what Rosenfeld is accomplishing with code at such a young age, serving as a perfect example of why he believes coding education should begin in the early grades of school."I don't think a four year degree is necessary to be proficient at coding" says Cook. "I think that's an old, traditional view. What we found out is that if we can get coding in in the early grades and have a progression of difficulty over the tenure of somebody's high school years, by the time you graduate kids like Liam, as an example of this, they're already writing apps that could be put on the App Store."Cook made similar comments during an American Workforce Policy Advisory Board meeting at the White House earlier this year. While in Florida, Cook attended a conference that saw SAP and Apple announce an expanded partnership focused on new enterprise apps taking advantage of technologies like machine learning and augmented reality. Despite all of the technological advancements in recent years, Cook told Panzarino that many businesses have not "changed a whole lot" and are "still using very old technology." With more solutions like those from SAP and Apple, and
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Apple Pay Nearing Launch in Hungary and Luxembourg

Friday May 10, 2019 9:13 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple Pay has been gradually expanding across Europe and the Middle East, launching in Poland, Norway, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, Austria, and Iceland over the last year. Now, we have learned that the service will likely roll out in Hungary and Luxembourg in the near future. MacRumors has spotted the usual server-side changes that Apple makes shortly before expanding Apple Pay to new regions — in this case, Hungary and Luxembourg. The service could launch in both countries within days. Luxembourg bank BGL BNP Paribas already confirmed that Apple Pay is coming soon to the small European country, but this is the first we've heard about Hungary. Apple Pay will also be available soon in the Netherlands as well as Romania, Estonia, Greece, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia, according to banks ING and N26. Apple Pay first launched in the United States in October 2014 and has since expanded to dozens of countries and territories. Apple CEO Tim Cook said in March that Apple Pay will be available in more than 40 regions by the end of 2019. Apple Pay can be used anywhere contactless payments are accepted with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch
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