It seems Apple is ready to move its mobile payment service on up to the next level.
The company is reportedly planning to expand its Apple Pay service beyond apps to include mobile websites later this year.
According to Re/code, Apple is planning to make the service available to consumers shopping through its Safari browser on versions of the iPad and iPhone that have fingerprint scanners. The company is also reportedly considering launching the service on Apple laptop and desktop computers as well, Re/code reported.
Apple Pay is currently used for both physical transactions and in-app purchases.
Apple’s jump to online shopping is expected to take place before the 2016 holiday shopping season, sources told Re/code.
The use of Apple Pay for mobile websites would allow users to skip steps in the checkout process – namely the input of payment and shipping information – and streamline the mobile shopping experience. The idea is that this simplified process will equate to more sales for those who enable the feature, especially as the proportion of mobile shoppers increases.
According to a report from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), nearly 70 percent of the 155 million individuals expected to shop during the holidays said they planned to make purchases online. More than half of consumers said they would likely use a smartphone or tablet while shopping.
As of early February, Apple Pay was accepted at more than two million physical locations across the globe, though that figure has likely increased since Apple launched the service in China a month ago.
Earlier this month, Bloomberg pegged the number of active monthly Apple Pay users at 12 million, compared to five million each for Google’s Android Pay and Samsung’s Samsung Pay.
Filed Under: Apps
