This is pretty nifty.
As noticed and sent along by PowerPage head honcho Jason O’Grady, the Apple Park Visitor Center is one of the only Apple retail stories in the U.S. to support contactless pay straight from an iOS device.
The video is nifty, and it foretells a pretty spiffy shopping experience should the technology work well.
Please let us know what you think in the comments and thanks for reading!
Via @NTFTWT
Apple has some hefty software updates around the corner, especially given the fact that iOS 15.5, iPadOS 15.5, watchOS 8.6, and tvOS 15.5 have all entered the Release Candidate phase of their development.
The updates are expected sometime this week.
Both iOS and iPadOS 15.5 are minor updates in preparation for the launch of iOS 16 in June. The most notable change perhaps will be the update to Apple Pay. Apple added Request and Send options to the Apple Cash card in the Wallet app. There will also be some changes to the iTunes Pass, previously available in the Wallet app.
Expected changes are as follows:
Additionally, for iPad users, iPadOS 15.5 release candidate removed the beta label of “Universal Control” feature.
Apple also seeded release candidates of WatchOS 8.6 and tvOS 15.5. Apple’s release notes for WatchOS 8.6 states the update will expand ECG functionality and irregular heart rhythm detection to users in Mexico. Developers can install watchOS 8.6 by downloading the configuration profile from the Apple Development Center. After that, the update can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on iPhone. Simply go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Per the tvOS 15.5 update, no changes have been confirmed. Developers looking to install the update can download the tvOS 15.5 profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode.
If you’ve had a chance to experiment with the release candidates, please let us know about your experience in the comments.
Via The Mac Observer and beta.apple.com
Apple Cash, Apple’s peer-to-peer payments system that works in conjunction with Apple Pay and iMessage, received some small updates on Thursday.
Among these updates is a new Instant transfer feature that works with both Mastercard and Visa debit cards. Previously only the latter card could be used, so the addition of Mastercard means Instant Transfer is more accessible to users who want to quickly transfer money from an Apple Cash balance to a bank account without having to wait for the transaction to be processed.
Apple has stated that beginning on August 26, 2021, the cost of making an Instant Transfer will change to 1.5 percent (previously 1 percent) of the transfer amount, with a minimum fee of $0.25 and a maximum fee of $15.
If users don’t wish to use Instant Transfer, they can transfer funds to their bank using the traditional ACH method, and receive it within one to three business days with no fee.
To make an Instant Transfer, open the Wallet app and select your Apple Cash card, then tap the three-dotted icon. Tap Transfer to Bank, enter an amount, and select Instant Transfer.
The feature is currently only available in the United States, and Apple Cash can be used to make and receive payments in Messages. Users can also access Siri to send money to other users.
When someone sends you money, it goes on your virtual Apple Cash card, which is stored securely in the Wallet app on your iPhone. You can use the money on it to send to someone, make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, within apps, and on the web.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors
Apple on Thursday released the first beta of iOS 12.2 for developers, complete with the following list of new fixes and features:
– Apple News for Canada – iOS 12.2 expands the availability of Apple News to Canada for the first time, with news sources available in either English or French.
– HomeKit TV Support – Apple recently announced that HomeKit support is coming to a number of third-party TVs, and iOS 12.2 introduces the infrastructure to allow users to add their TVs to HomeKit.
You can now use your Apple Watch to send and receive money via the new Apple Pay Cash service.
Apple on Tuesday launched watchOS 4.2 for the Apple Watch, allowing for this feature.
The final release comes after four beta builds were issued to developers and public testers. Apple Pay Cash began rolling out on iOS devices on Monday.