Apple Pay is now available in India, meaning customers with an eligible card can add it to the Wallet app on iPhone and Apple Watch for contactless and online payments.
To use Apple Pay in India, users will need an Axis Bank credit card on the Visa or Mastercard network. Earlier today, TechCrunch reported that merchants and payment terminals will need to add Apple Pay support, so the service may not work at all contactless payment locations.
RuPay, India’s national card network, is not compatible with Apple Pay. Major banks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI Card have also not added support.
There have been rumors of Apple Pay expanding to India for about a decade, but regulatory issues have made it difficult. India already has a popular digital payment option, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). UPI is a state-backed payment system that allows funds to be transferred between two bank accounts instantly. UPI handles around 84% of digital transaction volume in India and does not work with ‘Apple Pay’.
Popular stories
Banks and credit unions team up against Apple Pay fees
An antitrust lawsuit accusing Apple of blocking tap-to-pay competition is underway and will allow banks and credit unions to band together to sue Apple. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White this week certified a class in the lawsuit. This will include all U.S. entities that have issued an Apple Pay-enabled payment card and paid Apple a fee for Apple Pay transactions on that payment card. …
Apple Pay reportedly launched today in India
Apple Pay is expected to launch in India later today (Wednesday local time), starting with Axis Bank credit cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks, according to TechCrunch. India already has a popular Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system for digital payments, so the initial rollout of Apple Pay in the country is expected to be limited. HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI Bank/SBI Card are not…
New Apple TV 4K leaked
Woozad contributor Aaron Perris has discovered an image file from Apple for an unreleased Apple TV 4K, suggesting that a new model will finally be released soon. The image is specifically for an “Apple TV 4K (4th generation)” model. Apple TV 4K (4th generation) image (on a gradient) The image reveals that the Apple TV will have the same external design as the current model, with all its…
