Contactless payments have taken a new twist with the launch of Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone which allows businesses of any size to accept in-person contactless payments without the need for a payment terminal or additional hardware.

The launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone is set to disrupt how businesses accept payments, allowing business owners to receive payments wherever and whenever they do business. The contactless payments will be protected by the same security currently used NFC technology. Tap to Pay on iPhone also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options. Tap to Pay on iPhone works with contactless credit and debit cards from leading payment networks, including eftpos, Mastercard, Visa, and American Express. Tap to Pay on iPhone will also roll out to Apple Store locations in Australia later this year.

“Australia is a nation of entrepreneurs and innovators, and small and medium-sized businesses are at the heart of the country’s workforce, employing millions of Australians. Now, with Tap to Pay on iPhone it’s easier than ever for businesses of any size to seamlessly accept contactless payments using only their iPhone, wherever they do business,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

“The convenience of Tap to Pay on iPhone empowers Australian businesses to offer easy, secure, and private contactless payment experiences to their customers, and help them run and grow their business.”

Data protection built-in

With Tap to Pay on iPhone, customers’ payment data is protected by the same technology that makes Apple Pay private and secure. All transactions made using Tap to Pay on iPhone are encrypted and processed using the Secure Element, and as with Apple Pay, Apple doesn’t know what is being purchased or who is making the purchase.

Westpac and Tyro Payments are the first payment platforms in Australia to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to their business customers. Additional payment platforms and apps, including ANZ Worldline Payment Solutions, Stripe, Till Payments, and Zeller are expected to adopt the capability in the coming months. Tap to Pay on iPhone is available for any payment platform or app developer to enable that is able to meet the technical requirements to enable Tap to Pay on iPhone

“Tap to Pay on iPhone is a fantastic, simple, and secure way for new or existing Tyro customers to accept payments using only their iPhone, anytime, anywhere — without the need for additional hardware,” said Jon Davey, Tyro’s CEO.

“We are excited to introduce this new offering to our customers, providing greater flexibility when staff are working onsite or are on the move. It couldn’t be simpler. Just download the Tyro BYO App to start accepting customer payments on your iPhone in minutes.”

Want more? Get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! Follow Kochie’s Business Builders on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.