From today iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Apple Watch, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 users will be able to contactlessly pay for goods and services using Apple Pay.
Until now Apple Pay has only been available in the US and today’s launch marks the tech giants first contactless payment foray into a foreign market.
Apple Pay can be used with any of the contactless point-of-sale terminals which are already used by Visa cardholders millions of times every day throughout the UK.
And Visa Europe has confirmed that Visa debit and credit cardholders from leading UK banks now have access to the service.
Back in May research found that there is high consumer demand for mobile payment solutions particularly with iOS users, 60% of whom want to pay for goods and services using their mobile phone, indicating that uptake of Apple Pay will be significant.
Jeremy Nicholds, Executive Director of Mobile at Visa Europe, commented: “Consumer demand for mobile contactless payments combined with the fact that 70% of people in the UK own a smartphone means that the pieces of the puzzle are coming together for a seismic shift from plastic to digital. With today’s launch of Apple Pay, it is clear that mobile solutions will fast become a preferred way to store and use a credit or debit card.”
Apple Pay can be used to touch and pay wherever Visa contactless payment is accepted – including the London Underground. There are already more than 410,000 terminals in 250,000 locations accepting Visa with Apple Pay.
How to use Apple Pay
Setting up Apple Pay is easy. Visa card holders can either select the card currently used in the iTunes account or they can add a new debit or credit card.
When making a purchase in store, Visa cardholders just hold the iPhone to a contactless terminal with their finger held to Touch ID.
At launch, people who bank with MBNA, Nationwide, NatWest, RBS, Santander and Ulster Bank will be able to load their Visa debit or credit cards into Apple Pay with other banks to follow in the coming months, including First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds, and TSB.
Because consumers are using their Visa cards within Apple Pay, they will be covered by all the same benefits they currently enjoy with their debit and credit cards, including fraud protection for unauthorised purchases and widespread international acceptance.