What is Apple Pay?

Apple Pay is a new, contactless way of paying for goods and services anywhere contactless payments are accepted. It pulls together your credit and debit cards through Apple’s Passbook app in what is effectively a ‘digital wallet’.

Who can use it?

Apple Pay is available to iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch users. When paying for goods and services within apps, Apple Pay is compatible with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.

How does it work?

In stores, users hold their iPhone near the contactless reader while keeping a finger on Touch ID. With the Apple Watch, they double click the side button and hold the face up to the contactless reader.

Where can you use it?

At launch, over 250,000 locations will accept Apple Pay. Apple Pay will support UK credit and debit cards from American Express, MasterCard and Visa Europe, issued by first direct, HSBC, MBNA, NatWest, Nationwide Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and Ulster Bank.

Other major issuing banks will follow later this year, including Bank of Scotland, Coutts, Halifax, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank and TSB Bank.

Most retailers that have contactless pay systems will accept Apple Pay. Notable locations include: Boots, BP, Marks & Spencer, Post Office, Pret a Manger and Waitose.

Transport for London will also accept Apple Pay.

Is there a limit?

Apple Pay will be limited to £20 until September when the contactless limit is due to rise to £30.

How secure is it?

When adding a credit or debit card, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device, and each transaction is authorised with a one-time unique dynamic security code.

[article_related_posts]