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Apple Pay Launches in India: Setup Guide and Key Differences from GPay
- •Apple Pay has launched in India, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to make contactless payments.
- •Users can now pay by tapping their device on POS machines, eliminating the need for physical cards or PINs.
- •Currently, Apple Pay is available for Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit card users.
- •Apple Pay functions as a digital wallet, linking bank cards to the Apple Wallet for secure transactions.
- •Unlike Google Pay, which is primarily UPI-based, Apple Pay uses hardware-based NFC and card tokenization technology.
Key Questions Answered
Currently, Apple Pay services in India are exclusively available for Visa and Mastercard credit card users issued by Axis Bank. Apple has indicated that additional public and private banks will be integrated into the platform in the future.
Google Pay is primarily based on UPI, directly linking to bank accounts for QR code and mobile number transfers across Android and iOS. Conversely, Apple Pay relies on hardware-based NFC and card tokenization technology to digitize credit or debit cards for tap-to-pay functionality on Apple devices, without direct UPI support at launch.
Apple Pay does not store the actual 16-digit card number on the phone or share it with merchants and servers. Instead, it generates an encrypted unique Device Account Number stored in the phone's Secure Element chip, requiring Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode authentication for every transaction.
