Apple Pay

Apple Pay has been steadily growing as Apple continues to add support for new banks and rolls out the service to users in more countries, but we have less data on how much its been adopted in retail and among users. Giving some insight to usage, Apple analyst Gene Munster at Loup Ventures today released his “Apple Pay State of the Union” giving a look at adoption among retailers and much more.

Using the Internet Retailer top 100, the data shows retailer adoption as a percentage of potential adoption. The adoption includes all possible points of adoption for the platform including point of sale, in app, and through Apple Pay on the web for website checkout on both mobile and desktop browsers. Among the numbers, 31% have implemented at least one point of adoption, while an impressive 44% of the Internet Retailer 100 have adopted Apple Pay at point of sale. A similar 40% have adopted it as an in-app payment option.

When looking at those that have adopted Apple Pay at all possible points of adoption, it currently sits at 22% for the top 100.

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Apple introduced Apple Pay on the web with iOS 10 and macOS Sierra last fall, and today integrated payments provider WePay announced support for the mobile payment service on Safari. WePay clients include GoFundMe, FreshBooks, Meetup, and other major services.

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More restaurants will soon be offering the option to pay table side with Apple Pay as EMV terminal maker E la Carte announces its newest product that introduces the functionality. You might have noticed the company’s pay-at-table Presto touchscreen terminals at some restaurants already— its two big customers are Outback Steakhouse and Applebee’s— but its new Presto Prime terminal announced today offers a number of enhancements with Apple Pay among them:

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Remember CurrentC, the mobile payment service that kept getting in Apple’s way when Apple Pay launched a few years ago? MCX is the merchant consortium that was behind the QR code-based mobile payment service that ultimately never launched, and today JPMorgan Chase announced that it has acquired MCX’s payment technology.

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Following a launch in late 2016 for the US, Apple Pay in the UK now supports over twenty local charities. This means Apple users in Britain can make donations online using the same, simple, Apple Pay flow with Touch ID authentication.

Apple Pay on the web is supported on iPhone, iPad and the latest version of Safari for Mac. See the full list of UK charities already onboard after the jump …

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As we reported exclusively last night, Apple Pay is now live in Ireland. The service allows iPhone and Apple Watch owners to use the NFC chips in their devices to pay for their shopping at contactless terminals in retail stores across the country.

Apple Pay requires iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, or any Apple Watch, and is launching with support for Ulster Bank and KBC in Ireland. Apple has also announced that the service is coming soon to Italy.

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Apple will launch its mobile payment platform Apple Pay in Ireland tomorrow we have learned from two separate sources with knowledge of the matter. The move comes as we’re also expecting a launch sooner rather than later in Taiwan. Apple Pay allows users to complete transactions in-person, online, and in-app with their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac.

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Bar tabs are one of those conveniences that can sometimes feel like they’re more trouble than they’re worth. In theory, it’s super convenient to hand over your card at the beginning of the evening, allow anyone in a group to order by quoting a tab number or waving a bar card, then settle up at the end of the night.

In practice, though, there are drawbacks – not least, security. You are leaving your card unattended and out of sight for what may be hours. It would take just seconds for any of the bar staff to slip it out of its slot, photograph both sides and then have all your card details, including the three-digit security number.

There’s also the hassle factor of paying at the end of the evening – usually at the same time everyone else is trying to do the same thing. Mastercard has come up with an interesting solution to both problems through an app, and it’s an approach I’d love to see offered in Apple Pay …

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Apple Pay is now available from over 40 more banks and credit unions around the United States as part of the latest expansion wave. Apple’s mobile payment service launched just over two years ago with hundreds of additional regional banks and credit unions added every few weeks. You can find the latest banks added below.

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Apple Pay has slowly been making its way around the world, but there are still a variety of countries where the service hasn’t launched. Today, however, Polish website iMagazine discovered a handful of hints on Apple’s website that suggest Apple Pay may soon be coming to Germany and Italy.

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Jaguar has announced a new in-car fuel payment feature that it says works with Apple Pay. The feature is only available at Shell stations starting in the UK, but Jaguar says it “will become available later this year in other markets.”

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Apple’s long-standing battle with banks in Australia continues today. According to a report from Reuters, the Australian banks plan to shift their argument with Apple towards gaining access to the contactless payment function, rather than haggling over the fees Apple charges for each transaction.

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Update: Target emailed to clarify that its Twitter support account was incorrect and that it isn’t currently exploring integrating Apple Pay in stores:

We have no plans or work underway currently to make Apple Pay available in our stores.

We continue to offer Apple Pay for online purchases in the Target app. And while we are exploring mobile wallet opportunities for our stores, we have no updates on our plans to share at this time.

One of the most notable Apple Pay holdouts has been Target. Despite promising to support the mobile payment platform, Target has instead opted for its own in-app payment solution and store card.

According to a customer service tweet from the company, however, Target is still investigating Apple Pay and is working on getting the technology in its stores. Specifics are unclear, but the tweet said that it would happen “soon.”

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We reported this morning that vice president of Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey recently shared her thoughts on the battle going on between Apple and Australia’s big banks.

In the new interview, Bailey made optimistic statements about the future of Apple Pay in Australia with one of the more interesting ones being “customers will say they are happy to switch banks to use it.” We’re curious to know, is this true for you? Have you or would you switch banks for Apple’s payment service?

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Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey has responded to the legal dispute taking place between Apple and the major Australian banks, in an interview with AFR.com. Bailey revealed that participating customers in Australia use the contactless payment service more frequently than any other country, and that the holdout banks do not fully understand the benefits of Apple Pay yet.

Bailey says customers are prepared to switch banks in order to use Apple Pay, which should help Apple wield its bargaining power. In fact, a handful of smaller Australian banks have signed up to Apple Pay as of today …

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