Back in February Apple announced an upcoming “Tap to Pay on iPhone” feature that allows compatible iPhones to accept contactless payments without the need for additional hardware. Apple is now testing the feature at its Apple Park Visitor Center in Cupertino, California.
A tweeted video shows how Tap to Pay allows retail employees to take an Apple Pay contactless payment from customers using only an iPhone.
The new service will initially kick off in the US will empower millions of merchants, from small businesses to large retailers, to use their iPhone to seamlessly and securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets through a simple tap to their iPhone — no additional hardware or payment terminal needed.
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 their business customers, including the Shopify Point of Sale app this spring. Additional payment platforms and apps will follow later this year.
Tap to Pay on iPhone will also roll out to Apple Store locations in the US later this year.
Tap to Pay on iPhone will work with contactless credit and debit cards from leading payment networks, including American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa.
Apple has not announced a firm release date for Tap to Pay, but a U.S. rollout appears to be set for the near future, with a global release immediately following.
