Thanks to Tap to Pay, the iPhone will become a contactless payment terminal

Apple has every intention of becoming a staple among American merchants. The Cupertino company has just announced that they will be able to use their iPhone as a contactless payment terminal.

Thanks to the “Tap to Pay” function, expected in the spring with the next beta version of iOS, they will not need any additional equipment. In the past, the company only offered its payment services to shoppers through Apple Pay. It was necessary to have a dedicated terminal to be able to receive these payments. The acquisition of the Canadian start-up Mobeewave, two years ago, therefore takes on its full meaning here.

Operation is simple. First, the merchant’s iPhone uses its NFC chip to authenticate the transaction (instead of an external terminal). Then, the amount of the latter is displayed on the smartphone in question, decked out with a small NFC logo. The customer can then affix their smartphone, Apple Watch or bank card to a defined area. The rest of the transaction works like a normal payment.

Towards massive democratization?

This feature will of course be compatible with Google and Samsung Pay. To take advantage of it, you will nevertheless need to have at least an iPhone XS. Apple also specifies in its press release that it is preparing to collaborate with the largest credit card operators such as Mastercard, Visa or American Express.

The Cupertino company will, however, continue to use third-party applications to offer this functionality. Stripe will be Apple’s first partner, but other platforms will follow in the year.

This appeal to small traders could well redistribute the cards in this booming sector. It will therefore be interesting to follow its adoption in the United States. We imagine that, if success is there, Apple will democratize its system internationally.