Denée Carrington says, “Well, it’s finally here! After weeks of anticipation, Apple Pay launched on Monday. Apple also unveiled the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, both with Touch ID sensors and an embedded secure element, which means Apple Pay can be used for in-app payments on those devices as well as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Apple Pay launches at a time when the US payments marketplace is in turmoil: The frequency and scale of security breaches are on the rise, issuers are beginning their migration to chip-enabled cards, and mobile payments are still quite nascent — even after significant... [...]

Jordan Elkind says, “What is common to McDonald’s, Whole Foods, Nike, Starwood, Groupon, and Uber? Answer: They are all launch partners of Apple Pay, Apple’s new mobile payment service for online and store-based retailers, announced a month ago and available to use as of earlier this week (October 20). The new iPhone and iPad models – iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, and iPad Mini 3 – are the first devices embedding Apple Pay. These devices will enable consumers to pay with their phones or tablets online through the Touch ID interface using one’s fingerprint”. What Apple Pay Means... [...]

Pete Pachal says, “It’s finally here: Apple Pay arrived on Monday as part of iOS 8.1, which turns the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus into mobile payment machines. Just install the update, add a credit card to Passbook, and you’re good to start buying stuff with your iPhone. At least that’s the theory, but is it really that convenient? We decided to check out how Apple Pay works in the real world by adding cards from various banks and using it at a few retailers and services in New York City. The result: it’s definitely more convenient than a credit card, but there’s... [...]

Owen Thomas says, “I know, I know. We’re all supposed to be celebrating the miracle of Apple Pay right now. That’s too bad. After conducting several transactions with Apple’s new payments service, my conclusion is that Apple Pay makes the same mistake that several past attempts at reinventing payments made: It doesn’t solve any real problems for consumers. Problem No. 1: Getting Set Up To use Apple Pay to pay in stores, you need an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus that’s been upgraded to iOS 8.1. There are many reasons you might not want to upgrade to 8.1—but you have no choice... [...]

Lance Ulanoff says, “Apple Pay, Apple’s take on the digital wallet, is finally here. If you have an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, you can officially start buying things with the touch of a finger and by waving your phone over an enabled Point of Sale (POS) system. But for all the excitement, what do we really know about Apple Pay? Why is it different from other systems, like Google Wallet and tap-to-pay credit cards?”. How to Use Apple Pay: What You Need to Know Mashable  [...]