KBC and Ulster Bank are the first two banks in Ireland to make Apple Pay available to customers.
Apple Pay has finally reached Irish shores! The app allows you to pay for goods and services online or at point-of-sale on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.
It is the latest leap forward in banking technology in Ireland, following the launch of Android Pay last December.
Who can use Apple Pay?
Apple Pay is now available to KBC and Ulster Bank current account and credit card holders and it works with an iPhone 6 or later, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 or later and an Apple Watch paired to an iPhone 5 or later.
Shops that accept contactless payments, as most now do, will accept Apple Pay from today.
Unlike contactless payments, however, there is no limit on the amount that you can spend in a transaction. But retailers do have the right to impose a €30 limit if they choose to do so.
Is Apple Pay secure?
While this all sounds rather cool and exciting, you might be concerned about the security of your card details on Apple Pay.
Well, it seems that Apple Pay is actually very secure.
When you link your debit or credit card to the app, your number isn’t stored on your device and Apple has no access to it. Instead, a unique device account number is created, encrypted and securely stored in the secure element on your device.
When you pay for an item in a shop, a different temporary security code is created each time.
Also, if you lose your phone, you can unlink your card from the Apple Pay app from any location using Apple’s Find My Phone feature.
Paying online with Apple Pay
Security looks to be strong when it comes to paying for items online or through apps with Apple Pay too.
Each time you place an order, your device will use its Touch ID feature to confirm that it’s actually you that’s authorising the payment. This has the added bonus of being really convenient – you can simply pay for something with one touch of a screen, without having to re-enter card details and billing and shipping addresses every time you shop online.
What does it cost?
There is no additional cost for paying for something with Apple Pay so if you’re a KBC or Ulster Bank customer with an eligible device, there’s nothing to stop you from becoming one of the first people in Ireland use the service.
If you aren’t happy with your current bank – maybe its fees are too high for your liking, or you think it’s behind the times when it comes to online features – you should compare current accounts on bonkers.ie and consider switching.
