When the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were both released in September 2014, Apple also launched a new service; Apple Pay. This is so that users could start to use their phone to make contactless payments. Apple Pay can also be used with the Apple Watch which was revealed at the same time as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and was released for sale in March 2015.
The Lighter Way To Pay
Apple Pay has now been launched in the UK with over 250,000 stores accepting payment through Apple Pay. From the 14th July 2015 Apple Pay is the latest way to pay and has been released as a more secure way to make in store, online and in-App payments. Apple Pay also saves you having to carry a wallet or a purse around with you. You can store all of your debit and credit cards through Apple Pay, so now there will be no excuses for forgetting your wallet when it is your turn to pay! Apple Pay means all you have to do is take your iPhone with you when you go out for a meal or go on a shopping trip.
The Easier Way To Pay
Apple Pay has been introduced to make it easier to make payments in shops. There will be no need to search through your bag for your purse to then have to spend time looking for the correct card, especially when they all look the same. All you need to do is simply hold your phone up to the contactless reader and hold your finger to the Touch ID (the home button) on your iPhone 6. With your Apple Watch you can pay by double clicking the side button at the same time as holding your Apple Watch near the contactless reader.
Paying Within Apps
Paying within an App could never be easier than with Apple Pay. When you are ready to pay for the product or service you wish to purchase you simply need to choose to make your payment with Apple Pay then, as you do in a store, you simply hold your finger on the Touch ID and this will take the payment from you.
Secure Payments
Apple Pay has been launched so that users can make more secure payments. With the finger print technology that was introduced with the iPhone 5s, payments can only be made by the person that owns the device the payment has been made on.
With Apple Pay your identity is kept secure from everyone else. When you handover a card to someone to take a payment from your or you take out your card to use in a chip and pin reader or an ATM then your name and your card details are on view for everyone to see. It is also easy for people to steel cards from you and use them online, especially if they have stolen a drivers licence from you which states your full name, date of birth and your home address.
If you ever have your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch stolen then you can always block your iCloud account from making payments using Apple Pay. Find my iPhone allows you to wipe your phone and block anyone from using your phone.
Apple Pay Compatibility
Apple Pay is compatible with:
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- Apple Watch
- iPad Air 2
- iPad Mini 3
Apple Pay is compatible with all of the above Apple products. The Apple Watch can be used to make payments through Apple Pay when connected to an iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Apple Pay Future
Within the year more banks and retail stores will allow payments to be made using Apple Pay. This is only the beginning for mobile phone payments, more phone companies will introduce this service to the latest phone releases and soon everyone will be able to make payments using their smart phone.
