Apple Pay arrives in the UK -- Here's how to use it
While Apple Pay has been available in the US for a while now, the tap-and-pay service finally launches in the UK today. It works in the same way as contactless cards -- you just tap your iPhone 6, 6 Plus, or Apple Watch on a payment terminal to make a payment.
It’s very easy to use, secure, and has a maximum purchase limit of £20 per transaction (rising to £30 in September). This is what you need to do to use it.
Firstly you’ll need to make sure you’re running the latest version of iOS. If you are, the next step is to add your credit or debit card(s).
Not all banks support Apple Pay, but many of the major ones do. NatWest, Nationwide Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, First Direct, and Ulster Bank are all supporting the service, and more are arriving in the autumn. Barclays is still on the fence, however. HSBC was expected to be part of the first wave of banks to be included, but now says it will support the service by the end of July.
On an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, open the Passbook app and tap the + button at the top right. You can add your cards here. You can quickly add a card linked to your iTunes account by entering the CVV security code from the back of the card. For new cards, take a photo using your device’s camera and add the required additional information.
Apple Watch users (including those with an iPhone 5 or 5s) can add cards through the Apple Watch app on the phone. Just select the Passbook & Apple Pay option.
Apple Pay can be used both in-store and online and is secure as it uses a token system which ensures the card details don’t get passed on to the retailer. Payments are verified using Touch ID. It’s slower than contactless cards, but the additional security is worth the slight delay.
When it’s time to pay for something, hold your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus about an inch away from the payment terminal while holding your finger on the Home button. To pay with an Apple Watch just double-click the side power button, and select the card to use. Tilt the watch at the payment terminal and you’ll receive the usual Watch feedback when the payment has been made.