You link one or more of your existing credit cards to the Apple Wallet app (which typically involves taking a picture of the card and entering a verification number texted by the issuing bank).
Then instead of swiping the card, you hold your phone up to the EFT terminal and it "reads" the virtual card. From that point on it works just as if you had swiped a physical card - you use whatever signature procedure the store normally uses.
But underneath there is some kind of encrypted tunneling going on that I don't entirely understand. The result is that the merchant never gets their inept and slimy hands on your credit card information. All the info is transmitted directly to Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or Discover using a one-time token.
You need at least an iPhone 6 to use Apple Pay - unless you have an Apple Watch, in which case all you need is an iPhone 5. That's what I have. I'm not sure that digging your phone out of your pocket is any more convenient than digging out your credit card. But The Watch is right there on your wrist; all you have to do is press the large button twice to pop up your default card and hold the watch up to the terminal reader.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2015-12-07 08:36 pm (UTC)Then instead of swiping the card, you hold your phone up to the EFT terminal and it "reads" the virtual card. From that point on it works just as if you had swiped a physical card - you use whatever signature procedure the store normally uses.
But underneath there is some kind of encrypted tunneling going on that I don't entirely understand. The result is that the merchant never gets their inept and slimy hands on your credit card information. All the info is transmitted directly to Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or Discover using a one-time token.
You need at least an iPhone 6 to use Apple Pay - unless you have an Apple Watch, in which case all you need is an iPhone 5. That's what I have. I'm not sure that digging your phone out of your pocket is any more convenient than digging out your credit card. But The Watch is right there on your wrist; all you have to do is press the large button twice to pop up your default card and hold the watch up to the terminal reader.