Though Apple had already used last month’s Worldwide Developers Conference to announce that the UK would be the next country to receive Apple Pay, only July was cited for the launch time. However, evidence has since mounted that July 14 is the specific date on which the mobile payment service will become available in the UK.
This evidence has come to light thanks to 9TO5Mac. Citing “sources at multiple retailers”, the tech news website reports that Apple has informed some employees at its UK-based Apple Retail Stores that support for Pay will become available from that Tuesday. 9TO5Mac also shows internal memos for British supermarket chain Waitrose and another Apple retail partner citing the same date.
Apple has previously published an FAQ explaining that, though making purchases with Apple Pay will not need a PIN, transactions – as with other contactless transactions in the UK – will be capped at £20 with nearly all merchants. Nonetheless, 9TO5Mac has reported a source telling them that UK systems will, later in the year, be updated to enable higher values to be processed.
Apple has previously indicated Apple Pay’s compatibility with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Apple Watch, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3, though not all Apple Pay services will be available with each of these devices.