Apple brings Alibaba-linked payment system into China stores amid market push — Reuters — “The tie-up will make Alipay, run by Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial, the first third-party mobile payment system to be accepted at any physical Apple store worldwide… The Cupertino-based firm will accept Alipay payment across its 41 brick-and-mortar retail stores in China.”
Apple
Line Pay tops mobile payments adoption poll in Taiwan
Line Pay top mobile payment system in Taiwan: Survey — Focus Taiwan — “25.2% of respondents who used mobile payment systems favoured Line Pay, ahead of Apple Pay provided by Apple Inc which was used by 17.9% of those surveyed. The survey found Jko Pay provided by Taiwan’s Jkos Network Co came in third, taking a 10.9% share, followed by Android Pay operated by Google Inc with 9.9% share, and E Sun Wallet provided by E Sun Commercial Bank with 5.2%.”
Apple Pay to launch in Brazil ‘soon’
Apple Pay expanding to Brazil soon — MacRumors — “Apple Pay is set to expand to Brazil later this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed in today’s first quarter earnings call. While Apple didn’t provide an exact date for the launch of Apple Pay in Brazil, Cook did say it would come soon… Apple Pay grew 50% year-over-year, and it is now accepted at more than half of all retail locations in the United States, and at two-thirds of the country’s top retailers. Global Apple Pay purchase volume was also up.”
Apple to let iPhone X owners use Face ID to approve kids’ purchases
iPhone X owners will soon be able to use Face ID to approve family purchases — The Verge — “In iOS 11.3, purchase approvals on a parent’s device can be done through Face ID, after a one-time request to enter their password. Previously, iPhone X owners found the Ask to Buy iOS feature that allows parents to control what children buy with their phone didn’t work with Face ID. Parents had to enter their passwords manually for every purchase, to the chagrin of many customers.”
Mobile payments drive 60% growth in demand for NFC phones in Russia
In Russia, booming sales of smartphones that support contactless payments — Vedomosti (translation) — “Demand for them is being driven by the emergence of payment systems from Apple, Samsung and Google. Sales of smartphones that support contactless payments using NFC technology (near field communication), in 2017 compared to 2016, grew by 60% in Russia… Over the past year in Russia, about 8.3m such devices were sold.”
50% of US stores now accept Apple Pay
Apple Pay accepted at one out of two US stores, says Apple VP Jennifer Bailey — AppleInsider — “According to Bailey, Apple Pay availability was limited to about 3% of stores in the US when it launched in 2014, but is now accepted in 50% of stores.”
UnionPay: NFC mobile payment volumes are ‘growing quickly’ in China
Apple Pay growing fast but still bit player in China: UnionPay — Caixin — “Two years after their launch in China, a group of third-party mobile payment services led by global giant Apple Inc make up only a small fraction of contactless payments in the country, but the number is growing quickly… About 20% of UnionPay’s 94tn yuan (US$14.2tn) in annual transaction volume now comes from near field communication (NFC) technology payments.”
Apple to let merchants process Apple Pay transactions over iMessage
Apple has announced plans to introduce a new service that will let merchants use its Messages app to chat with Apple users, discuss potential purchases and process payments, all from within the messaging screen... More
Apple details Apple Pay Cash in updated iOS Security guide
iOS Security — Apple — “When you set up Apple Pay Cash, the same information as when you add a credit or debit card may be shared with our partner bank Green Dot Bank and with Apple Payments Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary created to protect your privacy by storing and processing information separately from the rest of Apple and in a way that the rest of Apple doesn’t know.”
Survey finds high level of consumer satisfaction with mobile payments in US and UK
Auriemma Consulting Group conducts parallel study of mobile pay usage in the US and the UK — Auriemma Consulting Group — “While UK cardholders are slightly more likely than their US counterparts to have used Apple Pay (12% v 9%) and Visa Checkout (9% v 6%) within the past month, other options, such as PayPal In-Store Checkout (5% each) and Android Pay (4% each) show similar usage patterns. Although usage metrics are low, satisfaction with each technology is extremely high.”
Apple Pay about to go live in Brazil?
Bank documentation hints at Brazilian Apple Pay launch — AppleInsider — “Documentation seen by Itau Unibanco customers on Monday suggest Apple is on the verge of launching Apple Pay in Brazil, which was first rumored to gain access to the mobile payments service nearly two years ago.”
Men’s Health gives positive review to Gymkit with NFC
Apple’s GymKit launches today, promises additional, super accurate gym data — Men’s Health — “A quick boink of the watch near the near field communication port and one tap of the Watch to confirm you want to workout, you’re off. Adjust the pitch of the treadmill and you’ll see your feet climbed rise on the Watch. The real-time, two-way data exchange is impressive, and your equipment workout data will get logged directly into Apple’s Health app, so you can deploy it later as you deem fit.”
First US gym adds support for Apple Watch NFC pairing with exercise machines
Apple Watch GymKit syncing arrives in exactly one US gym — Engadget — “GymKit syncing on the Apple Watch technically arrived with watchOS 4.1, but there’s been one main obstacle to using it: Actually finding a gym that supports it. Only one fitness center each in Australia and the UK have enabled it so far… One solitary gym in New York City, Life Time Athletic at Sky, now has 13 GymKit-capable machines (including treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and stair steppers) that will pair with your smartwatch.”
Apple publishes video guide to using Apple Pay Cash
Apple Pay — How to send and receive money on iPhone — Apple — “Now you can easily send and receive money with Apple Pay right in Messages. Just select who you want to pay, the amount, then approve. The money arrives instantly and securely in the Wallet app.”
Apple Pay Cash to run on Discover’s network
Discover Network enables payments for Apple’s newly launched Apple Pay Cash — Discover — “Discover announced today that transactions made with Apple’s new Apple Pay Cash card leverage the Discover Network… When Apple customers receive money on a supported device, the money is added to their new Apple Pay Cash card. They can use the money instantly to pay someone or to make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, apps and on the web.”
Apple explains how Apple Pay Cash will function as an electronic purse on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
Apple Pay Cash and person to person payments now available — Apple — “Apple customers who don’t already have Apple Pay set up on their supported device can still receive money from friends and family without needing to install a new app or add a card to Wallet. When new users receive money for the first time, it’s simply added to their new Apple Pay Cash card once they accept the terms.”
Apple begins to switch on Apple Pay Cash
Apple Pay Cash is rolling out for iOS 11.2 users — The Verge — “Apple was forced to release iOS 11.2 on Saturday, which was a little earlier than planned, due to a software bug. Now, Apple Pay Cash — one of the marquee features of the update — is being activated for users… The new feature is only available in the US for now, though.”
Australia’s Bendigo Bank adds Apple Pay
Bendigo Bank announces Apple Pay support in Australia — MacRumours — “Account holders in Australia can now use Apple Pay with their Bendigo Blue Bank cards… Bendigo and Adelaide Bank was one of several banks that lost a fight in March to gain access to the NFC chip used in iPhones so they could offer their own integrated digital wallets to customers.”
Starling Bank integrates third party rewards into open banking platform
Starling and Yoyo Wallet: Enabling loyalty with open banking — Starling Bank — “With any other bank, in order to collect loyalty points you would have to manually pay using the Yoyo app using a QR code scanner. However we have created an experience together with Yoyo, using our APIs, which means you don’t need to use any separate apps to pay. You just need to securely connect your Yoyo account to your Starling account from the Yoyo app and allow Yoyo to view your Starling account transactions. You will then be able to collect loyalty points whenever you use your Starling card, Apple Pay or Fitbit Pay at a merchant partner.”
Wembley to let fans store contactless tickets in their Apple Wallet
Contactless ticketing at Wembley Stadium — Wembley Stadium — “The innovation offers fans a new way to seamlessly and securely enter live events with contactless tickets added to Apple Wallet on their iPhone or Apple Watch… The integration of contactless tickets in Apple Wallet will simplify customers’ experience while enhancing security and fostering more personalised engagement with fans. As well as entering the stadium with their contactless tickets, fans can use Apple Pay to buy food and beverages with their iPhone or Apple Watch.”