Apple Pay is now available in ten countries after Russia launch
Apple launched Apple Pay in Russia today, continuing the international expansion of its contactless payment system. The service is available at first to Sberbank and Mastercard clients, according to the Tass Russian news agency, which cited a statement published on Sberbank’s website.
With today’s expansion, Apple Pay is now available in ten countries since launching in 2014, including the US, UK, China, Australia, and Canada. Samsung’s competing service, Samsung Pay, launched in Russia last month, and is available in nine countries. Google’s Android Pay, which launched in the US in 2015, has expanded to the UK, Australia, and Singapore, and will soon be available on the mobile web, according to a recent blog post. Apple Pay began rolling out across the web last month, with the release of iOS 10 and macOS SierraApple launched Apple Pay in Russia today, continuing the international expansion of its contactless payment system. The service is available at first to Sberbank and Mastercard clients, according to the Tass Russian news agency, which cited a statement published on Sberbank’s website.
Apple has launched its contactless payment service in Russia, the U.S. technology announced on Tuesday, as it continues the global rollout of Apple Pay.
Customers of Sberbank who are MasterCard holders will be the first to have access to Apple Pay.
A user has to add their card details to the Apple Pay app to be able to pay in store and online with the service.
Apple Pay works in store with the iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later models, as well as the Apple Watch.
The initial retailers accepting Apple Pay in Russia include BP, Media Markt, and supermarket chain Atak. Burger King will be added at a later date, according to Apple’s local website.
Apple has been increasing its market share in Russia, which stood at 10.4 percent as of the first quarter of 2016, according to Euroset, the country’s biggest retailer of mobile phones. This compares to 20.6 percent for Samsung and 6.7 percent for Lenovo.
Russia is the tenth country where Apple Pay has been launched since it began in 2014, following the U.S., Canada and the U.K., among others.
Apple Pay is gaining traction in the U.S. with chief executive Tim Cook claiming earlier this year, that the service accounts for three out of four of all contactless payments made in the country.
Announced through Apple’s regional website, Apple Pay is being introduced to the Russian market through partners Mastercard and Moscow-based Sberbank. Plans for expansion are not mentioned, though Apple typically extends access to a variety of credit card operators and multiple local financial institutions in the weeks and months following an initial availability.
At launch, participating retailers include ATAK, Auchan, Azbuka Vkusa, bp, Magnit, Media Markt, M.Video, TsUM and authorized Apple reseller re:Store. Touchless payments are expected to roll out at Electronics store Eldorado and Burger King in the near future.
Apple Pay can also be used for in-app purchases, and web-based payments with macOS 12.12, though it is unclear as to how many Russian-developed apps and online vendors feature such integration at this time.
source:cnbc
