Apple Pay
Safe contactless payment
Leaving the wallet containing cash and credit cards at home and still shopping extensively: this is possible with Apple Pay, the contactless payment service. This service is available on all iPhone models starting with the iPhone 6 as well as on the Apple Watch and on some iPad and Mac models.
A service without any fear of contact
With Apple Pay you can shop safely, easily and confidentially. This possible in tens of thousands of stores, hotels, restaurants, in popular apps and with Safari on the web. This sign shows the stores that accept payment via Apple Pay.
In Switzerland this is the case for the majority of all payment terminals, e.g. in supermarkets like Coop, Migros, Aldi and Lidl as well as Manor, kkiosk, many canteens and many more. The only thing you need is a recent Apple device and credit card of a bank participating in the Apple Pay service. Apple Pay has been existing in Switzerland since 2016.
Paying with a cool gesture
The requirements for using Apple Pay is that the credit card details are stored on the iPhone, on the iPad or on the Apple Watch. To do so, you register up to twelve credit cards in the relative Apple Wallet and set up Apple Pay as the payment method. Afterwards, everything goes fast. To execute the payment, just hold the iPhone, the iPad or the Apple Watch near the payment terminal. The payment is then confirmed via Touch or Face ID. The iPhone doesn't need to be unlocked for that, and no further input is required.
In case of the Apple Watch, you need to press the side button twice and hold the watch against the terminal and the payment will be confirmed by a slight haptic feedback and a sound. This method enables you to pay small and larger amounts. The limit is pre-set by your credit card.
That's why it works
Apple Pay works with standard payment terminals via Near Field Communication (NFC), that means that the Apple device communicates with the payment terminal via an integrated NFC antenna. You don't need to neither open an app nor activate the display. The terminal recognition is carried out automatically. Via NFC Apple transmits a unique string, also referred to as token, to the cash desk system without touching it. It contains the encrypted details of your credit card that have been specified in the mobile device. You don't need neither any PIN nor any signature.
Please pay, but safely!
The payments are directly executed on the device and via the NFC communication with the reading device. Therefore, Apple Pay doesn't require any cellular connection or any active Wi-Fi network. The transaction details are neither saved nor further transmitted in any form. So, the dealer can neither create a profile about you nor will he get to know your purchasing history there. This makes the service a private and safe solution. If the device gets lost or stolen, it can rapidly and easily be put into the "Lost" mode via the iCloud service. In this case, Apple Pay will also be deactivated. The good thing about it: The credit card doesn't need to be blocked, because the credit card numbers are not stored on the device.
Apple Pay for apps and Internet
Since 2014, Apple has been constantly expanding the payment service by introducing many new functions. Now, on-line shops or app developers can integrate Apple Pay as the payment method, as for example also SBB train tickets. By the way, a purchase made via your Mac at home can be authenticated using the fingerprint sensor (Touch ID) or via the iPhone.
