A tap-to-pay feature for the iPhone has been unveiled by Apple.
Apple Pay, contactless cards, and other digital wallets can now be accepted with a simple tap on an iPhone by millions of shops across the US, from small businesses to huge retailers. No additional hardware or payment terminal is required.
Payment platforms and app developers can use the iPhone’s Tap to Pay feature as a payment option for their business clients.
The Stripe payment platform, which includes the Shopify Point of Sale app, will be the first to offer Tap to Pay on the iPhone to their business customers, beginning in the spring of this year.
Later this year, other payment platforms and apps will be released.
“As more and more consumers are tapping to pay with digital wallets and credit cards, Tap to Pay on iPhone will provide businesses with a secure, private, and easy way to accept contactless payments and unlock new checkout experiences using the power, security, and convenience of iPhone,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “In collaboration with payment platforms, app developers, and payment networks, we’re making it easier than ever for businesses of all sizes — from solopreneurs to large retailers — to seamlessly accept contactless payments and continue to grow their business.”
Merchants will be able to make contactless payments through an iOS app on an iPhone XS or later when Tap to Pay on iPhone is released.
When the customer is ready to pay, the merchant will simply ask the customer to place their iPhone or Apple Watch near the retailer’s iPhone and the payment will be processed securely using NFC technology.
Tap to Pay on iPhone requires no additional hardware to take contactless payments, so companies may accept payments wherever they operate.
Tap to Pay for iPhone will be made available to millions of merchants in the United States by working directly with top payment providers and app developers.
Customers will soon be able to use their iPhones to pay for goods and services at the point of sale in more than 90 percent of U.S. retail locations.
Apple Store locations in the United States will soon be able to accept payments using the iPhone’s tap-to-pay feature.
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