Apple Pay officially launched in Ireland on Tuesday, and the contactless payment system is heading to Italy soon, too. Currently, Apple Pay is available for Ireland’s boon, Ulster Bank and KBC customers.
Apple Pay is Apple’s credit card transaction system that uses NFC so users can hold their iPhone near a payment terminal in stores to complete purchases. The system keeps credit card numbers secure by using one-time tokens for transactions to prevent identity theft and stolen credit cards.
You’ll need an iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, iPhone SE, or an Apple Watch to use Apple Pay in stores. The system uses your Touch ID and your finger print to authenticate purchases. Apple Pay also suppors online purchases on the Mac and iPad.
Italy’s Apple Pay support is coming soon, according to Apple. There isn’t a firm launch date yet, but boon, Carrefour Banca, and UniCredit, are all on board.
Apple Pay is now available in 14 countries including Australia, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.