Apple’s VP Internet Services, Jennifer Bailey recently confirmed Apple is working with U.S. retailers to make it much easier for iPhone users to enrol in retailer’s loyalty programs using NFC on iOS smartphones,

Making iPhone NFC great again

Bailey shared this information during her keynote speech delivered at the ETA’sTRANSACT industry event, as reported by Payments Source (and reprised by NFCWorld).

Bailey told us that retailers, including  Dairy Queen, Bonobos, Panera Bread, Yogurtland, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, Dave & Buster’s, Caribou Coffee, plus Bird and PayByPhone are all working on pilot schemes that use Apple’s Core NFC tag reading capabilities for new services.

@ElecTranAssoc @ETATRANSACT Jennifer Bailey @Apple delivers the keynote around #ApplePay recent innovations around the expanding capabilities of their wallet. Did you know that 30% + of @panerabread ‘s transactions age now digital? pic.twitter.com/kucHuqrIZH

— Stephanie Foster (@stephfoster2020) May 1, 2019

Retailers are working on other ways to deploy the tech, including things like wireless card payments at traffic meters and in-store NFC tags that let customer try items in the shop and then order them for shipment to their homes later.

10 billion Apple Pay based transactions in 2019

Bailey predicted Apple Card will be “transformational”, said 10 billion Apple Pay based transactions will take place this year and promised that 70% of US merchants would accept Apple Pay by the end of the year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw-thDIHNPK/

She also talked about the services Apple Wallet provides around payments, transit, access and ID, tickets, loyalty schemes and Apple Pay Cash, revealing that 30% of Panera Bread’s transactions are already digital.

She also predicted Apple Pay type transactions would exceed card-based payments within around five years.

Bailey led the launch of Apple Pay in 2014. The service is now active in 27 markets worldwide with thousands of banking partners.

Apple Wallet supports customer loyalty program cards, contactless student ID cards and public transit payment systems. And will eventually replace your passport.

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