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UK launch of Apple Pay looks set for the first half of 2015 as bank talks underway

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Brits waiting impatiently for Apple Pay to launch in the UK may not have too much longer to wait, reports the Telegraph. Sources involved in talks taking place between Apple and “Britain’s top banks” have stated that the service is expected to launch in the UK in the first half of 2015.

A job listing revealed earlier in the month that Apple had a London-based team working on rolling out the service across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa … 

The paper reports that while British banks have some qualms about supporting Apple in a possible “invasion of the banking industry,” they see no alternative but to support the service given its demonstrated early success in the US.

Sources accepted no major bank will want to miss out on Apple Pay, however, as early signs from the United States suggest it may be the service to finally convince consumers to pay with mobile phones.

It was recently reported that Apple Pay now supports 90% of US credit cards by transaction volume, and was responsible for 1% of all digital payment dollars in November.

Photo: Techradar

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Comments

  1. standardpull - 9 years ago

    I never thought I’d use Apple Pay, but now I use it quite a bit as it is simply convenient and easy. Easier than digging through my wallet and finding the right card.

  2. Untitled (@Untitled_007) - 9 years ago

    London and NYC, top 2 biggest financial centre on the world, get Apple Pay. When is it going to the 3rd biggest financial centre, Hong Kong??????????

  3. airmanchairman - 9 years ago

    Expect further consolidation of the Class System as those select iPhone6 and Apple Watch owners saunter contemptuously past endless lines of frustrated “plebs”, where the paypoint machines beep in distress: “unknown Android device in pay terminal… alert!”

  4. Taste_of_Apple - 9 years ago

    I’m excited for customers there and in other countries that will soon be able to use Apple Pay. It’s truly a great way to pay. I have used it a few times now and it always works great. Truly magical.

  5. I won’t be rushing to use it………………….I have a debit card that’s good enough for me.

  6. Research has shown that Canadians as are the most accepting of mobile payment solutions. We’ve shown this is the past with our fast rollout of Chip and Pin (EMV) cards and terminals – whilst simultaneously rolling out NFC terminals. Canadians continually have high usage rates of NFC solutions like VISA payWave. So when is Apple going to bring Apple Pay to Canada? Why launch anywhere else first?

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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