If you were anywhere near the internet yesterday, you’ve probably heard all there is to hear about the iPhone 6, but if you haven’t, let me give you a quick recap on a new feature that Apple have finally decided to add to their new iOS lineup. The new feature is called Apple Pay, and it is a brand new payment system that has been added to the new iPhones that uses NFC to support mobile payments in retail stores and restaurants.
With Apple Pay, users will be able to swipe their phone at an NFC checkpoint in-store to deal with payments without needing to take out a wallet or pay in cash. It’s a concept that the big players in the mobile industry have been trying to bring to a mainstream audience for years, but it’s never quite caught on.
Whilst some large international stores like McDonald’s already support NFC payments, many retailers still lack the equipment or technology to support Apple Pay or any Android equivalents, and the technology is especially lacking in local businesses. However, now that Apple have announced Apple Pay for the iOS, could it be possible that an NFC payments system could finally catch on?
Honestly, it is hard to say, but if any mobile company can make a change to the way we go about our day-to-day lives, then it’s going to be Apple.
When businesses try to adapt their company to the mobile era, Apple is one of the biggest influences on their decisions, so the introduction of Apple Pay could finally get more businesses to support NFC payments, and it may even eventually lead to local stores supporting such a system. However, if Apple Pay can’t get off the ground, then perhaps the idea of NFC payment systems is never truly going to be widely adopted, and by the time businesses are capable of adapting, even better technology may be available.
