What is Apple Pay?

Point of Sale (POS) Glossary

Apple Pay is an electronic payment method run by the Apple computer company. Apple devices that meet the specifications, including NFC (near field communication) and operating system requirements, can use Apple Pay for contactless payments at point of sale registers. Many modern Apple phones, watches, and iPads are compatible with the Apple Pay system.

In addition to being accepted at POS registers, Apple Pay allows online payments at websites and money transfers. Apple Pay works like a virtual wallet with a payment source behind the scenes.

Proponents of Apple Pay claim it is more secure than using a physical card because the receiving POS device does not get actual card data. Additionally, contactless payment is more hygienic and may reduce disease transmission.