Why Canadians Are Going To Have Wait For Apple Pay

One of the features generating interest in the iPhone 6 Apple recently announced is the NFC based payment system called Apple Pay.  Customers will have the ability to store their credit card(s) on their iPhone and just tap their iPhone on the terminal at the till in any retail store or restaurant to pay for a purchase or meal.  

For us North of the 49th parallel we will have to wait for Apple Pay much like other goodies in the Apple ecosystem.  Launching Apple Pay in Canada will take an agreement between Apple and Canada's banks but will also require Canada's retailers and restaurants to install NFC enabled payment terminals who that haven't done so already.  These retailers and restaurants are still paying for the upgrade to chip and pin payment terminals about half a decade ago.  

Anybody wondering about Apple Pay coming to Canada will have to ask about Canada's Goliath in payment processing, Interac debit.  The answer depend on if the banks demand adding Interac support to Apple Pay.  Using Interac with Apple Pay in uncertain because the banks make more from credit cards than from debit card usage.  

Canadians are familiar with tap and go payment from credit and debit cards that NFC technology brings.  With the large number of NFC payment terminals already installed in retail stores and restaurants across Canada it will prove to be fertile ground for Apple Pay.  If Apple can get the banks to agree to let in Apple Pay it will be one of the best opportunities to sell the iPhone 6 in Canada better than any new generation. of iPhones ever before seen.