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WITH APPLE’S PRESS event just over a week away, the rumours surrounding what will be announced have gathered pace, some having more credence than others.
One that has been floating around for a number of months is Apple entering the mobile payments market. That rumour has gathered pace with Bloomberg, Re/Code and The Information reporting that deals have been struck with the likes of American Express, Visa and Mastercard.
According to these reports, the new iPhone will include near-field communication (NFC), which will facilitate easier mobile payments.
Alongside Touch ID, Apple’s fingerprint scanner which debuted on the iPhone 5s, it would allow users to pay for items just by using the touch of their finger.
The format would work similarly to Samsung’s Galaxy S5 which allows users to pay for goods and services via Paypal by using the fingerprint scanner to activate it.
Customers will simply present their phones at the checkout of partner retailers to pay for a product.
Currently, Apple has roughly 800 million iTunes and App Store accounts globally, which all include payment information.
If it enters the mobile payment sector, it will already have most of the groundwork done, although it will still have to convince the retail sector to adopt mobile payments.
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I bet this facility won’t be available in Ireland
Its already here. It’s the same technology (NFC) that is used when you just hold your card I front of the terminal at the shop. All they want is that you use your phone instead… More of your information..
Only if you buy a licence of Mr Rabbit.
I attended a fraud seminar last week on contactless payments. No way will I ever use it, cash all the time.
A fraud seminar organized by whom?
A digital dependable big brother tracking device that will pinpoint you within inches and time stamp of every single purchase you make….
Ah Frank, you didn’t even mention RFID chips. You’re getting slack and turning all mainstream on us.
They have to first get everyone on the cashless grid before they start chipping…
A couple of terrorist false flags should hasten that agenda..
Frank, why in the name of God would anyone want to track you? Seriously.
For lots of people that’s the point.
Like 90% of android phones have had for the last what? Two years?
Not a good day for cloud storage news.
Great, now not only can I spend squillions on a phone that’s the same as the one I have, but a wee bit bigger, but I’ll be able to use it to waste lotsa money when I’m hammered.
Gonna give this a miss methinks.
Do you remember when you used to pay for phones that were a wee bit smaller with every iteration
I have this already with Sony on the xperia and they have it on thier laptops too. Apple really don’t innovate like they used to
Am I the only one to notice that Quinton writes *a lot* of technology articles/rumours about Apple?
NFC has been available across Android & Windows Phone for the last 2 years or so. Good to see Apple finally implementing it so it will be more common place across stores.
NFC will catch on at home 90% of shops in Australia have it. Not a fan of it in pubs some bar tenders when you hand in your card just do it without asking, sure enough, you be lucky to get a receipt
already exists with samsung galaxy s5 with nfc
People seem to be mixing up what’s actually being reported here , it’s not that apple have invented NFC nor that they claim that , or that they have a new finger print facility on the iphone that’s already on the iphone 5 , it’s that apple are rumoured to be introducing NFC chip into the next model and are rumoured to have partnered with big credit cards to speed up the introduction of easy mobile payments via mobile phones – in case you haven’t noticed while the NFC technology etc exists – it has not been implemented yet in ireland etc for easy payment on Lucas buses retail etc yet , if iPhones are compatible then this might speed up digital wallets introduction etc , this will be good news to helping new innovations , parts of Asia wtc have more widespread uses for mobiles along these lines , bring it on
Fun fact: Most high-end handsets already have this feature, it’s NFC, same tech that’s in the new debit cards
Just checked my Samsung phone. It has NFC.
“Currently, Apple has roughly 800 million iTunes and App Store accounts globally, which all include payment information.”
That would be a violation of the data protection act if they take information that people gave them for one purpose and then go ahead and use it for another.
Is there any stores/shops in Ireland that utilize NFC payments, out of curiosity?
Mc Donald’s does and so do most centra stores.
Boots, Spar Aldi …
Sorry, I should have been more clear, I mean using an Android device to pay.
NFC is useless technology that will never take off. It’s already dead if I’m not mistaking
You are mistaken. NFC payment technology is large and growing fast. Eg:
http://www.visaeurope.com/en/newsroom/news/articles/2014/uk_contactless_payments_surge.aspx
Samsung Galaxy S4??????
have your say