Current trends predict that more than half of smartphone users will use in-store mobile payment apps by 2025. Apple Pay alone has grown from 67 million users in 2016 to 507 million in 2020.
A growing need for contactless checkout options and the continued popularity of wearable smart technology have cleared a path for Apple Pay and similar applications to thrive in today’s market.
What Is Apple Pay?
Apple debuted its hands-free, easy-to-use payment app at the 2014 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. A groundbreaking development at the time of its debut, Apple’s announcement was met with enthusiasm from smartphone users and trend chasers worldwide.
Apple Pay lets users forgo traditional payment methods by transitioning to a digital wallet available through the user’s iPhone and other Apple devices or online accounts with Apple login information.
Apple Pay users are alerted via a slight vibration, subtle beep or completion screen, depending on the device used when a payment processes. Built-in security features and biometric authentication measures already in place on the device, like Face ID or Touch ID, protect the user’s sensitive information.
Benefits of Apple Pay
This payment app has several benefits for users across devices, including:
- Contactless payment: It lets you pay directly from your smartphone or Apple Watch, meaning reduced contact with dirty checkout terminals, cash and credit cards. Clean hands are healthy hands.
- No fees: There is no additional processing or usage fee when you use it, regardless of the device you’re accessing your digital wallet from.
- Security and privacy: Unlike physical credit and debit cards, which can easily be lost, stolen or broken, this is completely digital and protected by your device’s biometric login, passcodes and more. Retailers and online merchants never have access to your payment information, and your device won’t store your card numbers. The only information transferred is the data necessary to complete your transaction — that’s it.
- Person-to-person payments: You can use it to send money to other people through the Messenger app. Connect your debit card information to your Apple devices, set up the person-to-person transfer and easily split restaurant bills or make other transactions between family and friends.
- Quick transactions: Instead of manually entering your login information and card data at each online retailer or app purchase, it offers a faster alternative to save you time.
How to Set Up and Use Apple Pay on Your Device
Here’s how to use Apple Pay through your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac or online Apple account:
- Use the Wallet app: Apple Pay is already on your device — no need to download any additional or third-party apps. Find your device’s Wallet app and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Add your card: Once you’re in the Wallet app, you can securely add one or more of your credit or debit cards while still receiving all of your card’s built-in rewards and benefits, like cashback percentages or travel miles. You can add several cards and select one as your default payment option through Apple Pay. If you want to change your default card, you can do so at any time.
- Set up Apple Cash: Open Wallet & Apple Pay in your iPhone settings and turn on Apple Cash, then tap “Apple Cash” under “Payment Cards.” Once you have this set up, you can send and receive money through the Messenger app.
- Use security measures: Enable all of your device’s built-in security features, including biometric logins like Face ID and Touch ID, as well as passcodes and Find My iPhone.
If you can’t find or access Apple Pay on your device, check your device’s age. It’s available on iPhones with Face ID or Touch ID, excluding the iPhone 5S. Any iPad model, including iPad Minis, should have Apple Pay as long as they have those same biometric features. Apple Pay is available on all Series 1 and later Apple Watches and most Mac models released in or after 2012.
Using Apple Pay In-Person
More than 85% of U.S. retailers accept Apple Pay for in-store payments. You can also load your store loyalty cards in your iPhone wallet, along with transit cards, boarding passes and tickets for movies or events.
The Apple Watch and iPhone are two common methods of checkout:
- Using Apple Pay on an Apple Watch: Hold your Apple Watch near the checkout terminal card reader. Your Watch’s display should be facing the terminal. Double click the side button to turn your Watch on. Your Watch will prompt you to choose the card you want to pay with, and your Watch will issue a small beep and slight physical movement when the transaction is successful.
- Using Apple Pay on an iPhone: Unlock your iPhone with Touch ID, Face ID or your passcode. Hold the device near the contactless terminal at the checkout counter, then select which card you would like to authenticate and use. A checkmark and the word “Done” will appear on your phone screen when the transaction is complete.
Using Apple Pay In-App and Online
Apple Pay is available across millions of websites and apps. You can easily pay for online shopping purchases when browsing via Safari on any of your Apple devices, including your Apple Watch, iPad and Mac. Depending on the device and retailer, you may be able to initiate Apple Pay with a quick tap or scan instead of entering checkout information manually each time.
Since Apple Pay is already integrated on your device, you can also use it to pay for and subscribe to Apple services on your iPhone, including iCloud storage upgrades, app purchases and more.
Learn More iPhone Tips at Gazelle
Smartphones continue to simplify everyday tasks, including shopping. With the help of Apple Pay, you can shop millions of brick and mortar stores and online shops with the added protection of biometric security, data privacy and easy-to-use checkout processes.
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Browse more helpful iPhone tips and tricks on the Gazelle blog, and shop quality used smartphones today!