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Apple has officially announced a new Tap to Pay feature for iPhone. Launching later this year, this feature will allow businesses to use their iPhone to accept Apple Pay payments "seamlessly and securely" with a simple tap. The feature will also work for contactless credit and debit cards, as well as other digital wallets.
The most interesting thing about Apple's new feature is that the company is working with third-party developers and making the platform available to app developers and other payment platforms. Apple says Stripe will be the first payment platform to offer Tap to Pay on the iPhone in the spring, including through a new Shopify point of sale application. This means that it is not a native iOS feature but that Apple is opening up the NFC chip in the iPhone to third-party payment platforms so that they can develop applications that support Tap to Pay technology. In the press release is it [called:
iPhone becomes a payment terminal
Tap to Pay on iPhone will be available for payment platforms and app developers to integrate into their iOS apps and offer as a payment option to their business customers. Stripe will be the first payment platform to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to its business customers, including the Shopify Point of Sale app this spring. More payment platforms and apps will follow later this year.
The feature is scheduled to launch in the United States by the end of the year. Once the platform is live, merchants will be able to accept contactless payments through a supporting iOS app on an iPhone XS or later. The merchant will prompt the customer to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the merchant's iPhone to pay with Apple Pay, their contactless credit or debit card, or another digital wallet. The payment will then be completed securely using NFC technology. Jennifer Bailey, Vice President of Apple Pay, commented on the announcement of this new Tap to Pay feature:
iPhone gets Tap to Pay feature
As more consumers pay with digital wallets and credit cards, Tap to Pay on iPhone gives businesses a safe, private and easy way to accept contactless payments and enable new checkout experiences with the power, security and convenience of iPhone. Working with payment platforms, app developers and payment networks, we're making it easier than ever for businesses of all sizes - from sole proprietors to large retailers - to accept contactless payments and continue to grow their business.
Apple promises to "work closely with leading payment platforms and app developers across the payments and commerce industry" to "bring Tap to Pay on iPhone to millions of merchants in the U.S." There is currently no information on expansion outside the United States. It remains to be seen when the feature will be introduced here. (Image: Apple)
