Apple announces its ‘Apple Pay’ program, an easy,
secure and private to way to pay using iPhone 6 and 6 plus.
What is Apple Pay?
Apple Pay is a mobile payment and digital wallet service
by Apple Inc. that lets users make payments using the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus
and Apple Watch-compatible devices.
Would it work with the Apple new iPads (Air 2 and Mini
3)? Definitely yes, but only for in-app purchases. However, you would
need the new phones to pay at retail.
Apple looks to selling new phones and tablets hoping its
new mobile system of payments would stimulate users enough to upgrade, never
minding the network of 500 million iPhones sold in 2007.
Payments can be made using MasterCard, Visa, and American
Express; these payments would be accepted at any of the 220,000 retail
locations. McDonald’s, Macy’s, Chevron gas stations, Walgreens and Panera Bread
are just some of the retailers we are talking about here.
Isn’t this development a
relieving one? Consider the security, it improves since no necessary third
party or waiters or valets need to access your credit card information. Just
slide out your phone where you would have been looking for some credit card in
your purse.
I guess at this junction I should introduce to you the
Apple Pay program and how to get started:
Firstly, to allow your new phone work with Apple Pay,
update to iOS8.1, the new version of Apple’s mobile operating system, via the
software update tab in the settings section of your Phone.
Next, you can add your credit card or iTunes debit info
to the app by using the camera on the Apple device, and scanning your card. On
the iPad or iPhone, open Passbook, the so far little-used app that first
debuted in 2013 to store tickets, coupons and the like.
Finally, give it a shot on the iPhone with a retailer
that works with Apple Pay.
Apps like Airbnb, Groupon, Lyft and Uber are also working
with Apple on their apps to accept payment via the phone and tablet, even
beyond the 220,000 retail locations earlier mentioned.
Now, to pay, simply hold down the TouchID fingerprint
sensor on the Apple device and point it at the Apple Pay reader. At home with
the iPad, just use your fingerprint instead of a password.
Some persons ask: what if my phone or tablet is lost?
Nothing happens to all your banking and credit info if you respond fast enough. Using the Find My iPhone app, you can actually put the
device in “lost” mode from a computer and suspend Apple Pay. Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies, a veteran Apple
analyst believes its ok to try the program out. So, what you waiting for? Give
it a shot.
He continues saying that, “I don’t think Apple would
release this if the privacy and security issue was not solid. However, there
could be glitches at the point-of-sales terminals during the initial roll-out,
although those NFC-based terminals have worked pretty flawlessly so far.”
Tim’s beliefs still extends to the idea that by the end
of the year, Apple’s audience would greatly increase given the already recorded
over 500 million iPhone users. Tim even forecasted sales of new iPhone 6 and 6
plus to be about 60 million by the year’s end though Apple pay had only been
launched in the US. He goes further to say that, “that would mean that about 30
million of these NFC-based phones would be capable of using Apple Pay this
year.” By his estimation, about half of the forecasted sales would be in the
US.
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