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iPhone 5, iPad 2 to support mobile payments using NFC

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 7:00PM EST
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According to a report from Bloomberg Tuesday morning, Apple plans to add a mobile payment feature to future iOS devices. The service, which utilizes a Near-Field Communication chip and a software solution, will be integrated into Apple’s next-generation iPhone and iPad, the report says. The source of this new information is Richard Doherty, director of consulting firm Envisioneering Group, who claims both the iPhone 5 and iPad 2 will launch this year with integrated NFC functionality. Apple is known to have hired various NFC experts in recent history, and it holds several patents surrounding the technology. The company could theoretically have a much easier time than its competitors building a successful mobile payment service thanks to the millions of credit cards associated with iTunes it already has on file. Future iPhone users could simply enter their iTunes passwords a single time and accept a license agreement, and the service would then be enabled and ready for use. The key to the success of NFC-based mobile payments, however, is integration on the vendor side. Without a universal processing solution and widespread retailer adoption, the future of these solutions in the U.S. and other emerging NFC markets is a bleak one.

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Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.