Apple Pay

Apple’s year-old mobile-payments service is expanding to more countries, banks and merchants, as it faces growing competition and some challenges before it becomes as commonplace as plastic cards

Google’s answer to the Apple Pay mobile-payment service is debuting in the U.S., marking a do-over by the company behind the world’s most-used operating system for smartphones.

Apple took the wraps off of its hotly anticipated new iOS 9 software on Monday, and iOS device users around the world are salivating in anticipation of the new software’s release this coming fall

Apple fans interested in better protecting the gadgets and Apple services they use — such as Apple Pay payments on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and a variety of iCloud services — can manage the security of these products online directly at Apple’s iCloud.com page, AppleInsider reports.

Apple Pay has launched to much fanfare. People with the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus are now able to make credit card payments at certain shops and restaurants in the US. But Apple Pay isn’t the first of its kind and the technology it uses has actually been around for the past 15 years.

After the launch of the iPhone 6, Apple is continuing to copy existing technology with Apple Pay —and might just get it right.

The launch of the iPhone 6 was a huge success, although one factor seemed a bit strange. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus come with an NFC chip but this chip only works in function with the Apple Pay, which had yet to be given a proper launch date. Yesterday’s announcement included a bunch of new information to answer all of the lingering questions about this new system.

Apple showed off thinner iPads and a new iMac with a high-resolution display on Thursday. Sleek and stunning, yes, but not likely to spark the next iRevolution. The tech giant’s bigger strategic bet is that mobile pay service Apple Pay, debuting Monday, will be the next thing you didn’t know you needed — but now can’t live without.