Apple will take its payment product to the next level at this year’s WWDC event, a new report indicates. The company will launch an Apple Pay version for the web that will let Apple device users pay for goods with the touch of a finger. Apple Pay on the web will compete directly against PayPal, although it’s not yet clear whether it will require devices with Touch ID hardware like the latest iPhones and iPads in order to work.
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According to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Digital Trends a few days ago, select retail partners will support Apple Pay payments.
Apple has so far tied its payments product to devices that have sensors capable of reading certain biometrics, including heart rate (Apple Watch) and fingerprint (iPhone 6s, iPhone 6, iPhone SE, iPhone 5s, iPad Pro, iPad mini). If Apple Pay on the web will be tied to a fingerprint-based security, then the feature might not be available on computers that lack such sensors unless the user also has an iPhone or iPad available to authenticate.
Recent reports suggested that Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro family will feature a massive redesign, with Touch ID being one of the rumored new features of the flagship laptop. Assuming the reports are accurate, then Apple Pay would also work on Macs equipped with such sensors.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Apple is preparing a product that would compete directly with PayPal. The iPhone maker is also rumored to be working on a peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments feature that would be built right into iMessege. PayPal supports both peer-to-peer payments and online payments and according to Digital Trends, about 250 of the top 500 online stores feature PayPal integration.
