DUBLIN: Apple has launched its wireless Apple Pay technology in the UK, although there is still no set date for a roll out of the service in Ireland.
The technology, which allows iPhone and Apple Watch owners to pay for things in shops just by swiping their device, has proven to be a hit in the US with two out of three iPhone 6 owners using it since it launched in 2014.
Apple had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. The company has not yet indicated when it will launch the service in Ireland. However, earlier this year Apple began to contact Irish banks ahead of a possible rollout of Apple Pay later this in 2015.
In the UK the contactless payment service has support from more than 250,000 stores and companies in the country, including supermarkets Waitrose and Lidl, restaurant chains Wagamama and Nando’s, and Transport for London’s rail and bus networks.
Most purchases through Apple Pay in the UK currently have a £20 cap, but that figure will reportedly rise to £30 later in the year.
Apple Pay is also one of the highlighted features of Apple’s upcoming Watch gadget.
In the US, 180 US banks and financial institutions have signed up to the system, as have 68 retail chains and merchants.
