Apple Pay

[mykaluk]

So I'm confused as to where and what exactly Apple Pay actually is.

I thought Apple Pay was a service on top of contact less, and that retailers needed to add extra support to be Apple Pay enabled. But now I'm reading that Apple Pay, or specifically an Apple device can be used anywhere contact less is available? Is this right?

In which case, what exactly does Apple Pay supported actually mean when Apple tout the list of retailers?

Not only that, but the standard £20 contact less payment limit still applies?

In short, Apple Pay doesn't make much sense to me atm. Can some explain?

 

[iCheddar]

Apple Pay is just Apple's version of existing contactless payment solutions.

Most merchants in the US do not support contactless payments. Either their terminals are not physically set up for them, or the contactless functionality is disabled. Most of the big announcements of Apple Pay support have also included merchants changing their hardware over to terminals that support contactless payments, as well as chip based cards (chipped cards will be required in the US soon).

As a general guideline, since Apple Pay is not all that dissimilar from existing contactless payment systems, any terminal that has the contactless logo will also support Apple Pay.

So there is a list of official Apple Pay merchants - these merchants have either newly installed contactless terminals, or are just confirming that their existing terminals are compatible with Apple Pay. Apple has to tout this list of retailers in a way to drive customers to use it. If Apple just said "yeah, it works a lot of places...who knows?" no one would bother to try it out.

In regards to a £20 limit - I don't know how things work in the UK, but in the US, the limit is usually determined either by the bank that issued the card, or the merchant.

TL;DR - if your contactless card works at a terminal, it'll probably take Apple pay too. Just look for the fish rib logo thing.

 

[mykaluk]

Thanks for the info, I didn't realise chip n pin/contactless was so far behind us in the UK! Now it makes total sense!

 

[Polaroid]

Im so happy UK Apple Pay uses existing terminals - means I can use my watch in little Lincoln thought everyone had to change terminals to Apple Pay ones (like US) so this is awesome!

 

[Hustler1337]

Yep, like iCheddar said. Unlike the USA, the UK, Europe and Asia are already familiar with contactless payment and many places already accept contacless payment. So you can use your iPhone using the ''standard' contactless readers as the readers are really just the same thing as Apple's version. The US doesn't even have Chip and Pin, shocking if you're from Europe.

 

[Polaroid]

Yep, like iCheddar said. Unlike the USA, the UK, Europe and Asia are already familiar with contactless payment and many places already accept contacless payment. So you can use your iPhone using the ''standard' contactless readers as the readers are really just the same thing as Apple's version. The US doesn't even have Chip and Pin, shocking if you're from Europe.

I cant imagine not using contactless tbh, I use it everywhere lol, I don't think I even know my pins off my heart anymore I rarely use them lol

 

[HippieMagic]

We don't have "Apple Pay terminals" by the way. It just has to be a contactless terminal. Some companies disable token transfers which means Apple Pay fails. Every PayPass or contactless terminal I have attempted to use has gone through without a hitch here in WV/Ohio. It seems smaller shops and places like McDonalds work fine while I am hearing a lot of larger chain stores have them disabled.

We do also have Chip and Pin cards. The terminals for them are pretty common. You might have to look for it, though. I have actually been forced to use it a few times instead of the magnetic strip lately.

 

[iCheddar]

I am hearing a lot of larger chain stores have them disabled.

Disabled contactless bugs the hell out of me. I remember Best Buy explicitly saying they would not accept Apple Pay last year, now they're saying they will - the whole time they've had terminals that support contactless, but it's just been disabled.