Apple Pay is the latest offering from Apple. The feature was announced at their iPhone 6 and iOS 8 event, but was not released with the initial iOS 8 launch. The feature was recently included in the iOS 8.1 update and is only a few weeks old. Despite the newness of Apple Pay, it will definitely be a game changer in the payment industry.
Apple Pay takes advantage of NFC technology. NFC stands for near field communication. NFC allows data to be sent simply by being close to another NFC receiver, in this case a payment station. Apple Pay simply requires you to store your credit, debit, or gift cards on the device. The information is encrypted and not even Apple has access to it. Money never passes into Apple’s hands, they simply act as a facilitator for consumers to make transactions easier.
NFC in phones is nothing new. While it has only been included in the latest iPhone, it has existed in Android phones for several generations now. However with its inclusion in the iPhone, NFC payments will become much more prevalent. The iPhone and iOS have a much larger adoption rate than Android phones. Not to say that Android phones aren’t as popular, but it seems like everywhere you look there is an Apple device.
This will be the key to Apple Pay’s success and eventually lead to a change in the payment industry. By using the name Apple Pay, consumers see a brand name they trust combined with a feature to make their lives more convenient. On top of that Apple has partnered with multiple retailers and banks to make sure that consumers know mobile payments are an offering. As more and more shoppers begin to use Apple Pay, it will begin to spark curiosity in those who don’t pay attention to the recent advertising. Soon mobile payments will be adopted as quickly and explosively as the iPhone itself was.
Apple Pay offers consumers a very easy payment method for their every day purchases. With the ability to store cards on a mobile device, soon people will be able to ditch their physical cards as more businesses support mobile payment. The pure convenience of NFC is a revolutionary feature that will eventually be welcomed into every person’s transactions.