On September 9, during its annual event, Apple unveiled the new iteration of the iPhone, the Apple Watch and Apple Pay.
The new iPhones contain an NFC chip and a dedicated chip called Secure Element that features Touch ID convenience.
Major retailers, including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Staples, Duane Reade, Whole Foods Market and Duane Reade, have already hopped on board. But will Apple Pay be a success? The RTP editors weigh in:
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Debbie Hauss, Editor-in-Chief: Apple Pay will definitely be a key player in the mobile wallet race, but not the only one. MCX is backed by Walmart and Best Buy, to name just two of dozens. Also, most small businesses are not equipped to implement NFC solutions and have invested in solutions such as Square to offer mobile payment. The security aspect of Apple Pay is a plus if it proves to truly be secure. And certainly the Apple name carries a lot of weight in the hearts and minds of consumers.
Alicia Fiorletta, Senior Editor: Apple is undoubtedly the figurative cool kid and school that everyone wants to be friends with and tag along with. The industry has been debating for so long about whether Apple would include an NFC chip in its devices, or develop its own mobile wallet feature. Now, with Apple Pay, we finally have our answer. I think Apple has done a great job of outlining the key things that matter to customers: the value, how to use it and of course, security. In fact, I think the company has done a lot more to educate consumers than other mobile wallet providers. What’s more, Apple already has several large retailers accepting Apple Pay. An added benefit is that there will most likely be more seamless integration with Passbook, a feature already popular for many consumers. I can’t wait to keep track of adoption and see how consumers respond!
Kim Zimmermann, Managing Editor: Mobile wallets have been trying to capture the attention of consumers and retailers for years. Google Wallet has not been the huge driver it was expected to be. Perhaps Apple Pay has a slightly better shot because it may be adopted by ardent iPhone users, but I still see a long road ahead. The recent iCloud security breach could impact users’ comfort level when it comes to Apple’s security. I’m comfortable paying for my coffee with my Dunkin’ Donute app, but haven’t adopted a mobile wallet yet.
Rob Fee, Managing Editor: The concept behind Apple Pay is not new, but the execution is. Google released its wallet app three years ago and hit snags ranging where it could be used to whether or not mobile carriers, who wanted to promote their own services and partnerships, would even allow the service on their networks. Apple isn’t hitting any of these snags. I haven’t seen any mobile carrier say they wouldn’t allow it, and a slew of retailers already announced they would accept it. The technology, though, needs to overcome two key issues — educating users and industry adoption. The users are ready. Just the announcement of Apple Pay created more excitement than Google Wallet ever did. But it remains to be seen if retailers are ready to make the necessary POS upgrades to ease wider adoption. To flip the phrase from Field of Dreams, if you don’t build it, they can’t come.
Glenn Taylor, Associate Editor: The customer will likely identify with it more than previous wallet services, mainly because of the Apple name and its co-introduction with the iPhone 6/Apple Watch. The security concerns that come along with other wallets aren’t as prevalent, as Apple doesn’t hold your card on its server (only the bank issuing the card has access to the info). At least for now, I can see larger companies that are capable of handling the technology benefiting from it. The smaller companies may have to wait, but the majority of shoppers aren’t as likely to utilize mobile payment at those businesses in the first place.
Brian Anderson, Associate Editor: Out of all the retailers that can bring a particular technology mainstream, Apple has the most potential to find success. I definitely believe that Apple Pay will have a major impact on the growth of NFC technology. Apple has roughly 25% market share of smartphones in the U.S., and iPhone owners will definitely be looking to test out the new Apple Pay feature. The question is whether or not retailers will be able to adopt NFC payment technology as fast their consumers demand for it. Only time will tell, but I have a feeling many more retailers will hop on the bandwagon as soon as the new phone is made available to the public.
What are your thoughts on Apple Pay? Share your feedback in the comments section below!
