Apple Outlines Its Plan for Japan, iMessage Payments

Apple Pay got only a brief mention during the tech giant's introduction of the iPhone 7 on Sept. 7, but the changes have global implications.

Apple plans to launch its mobile wallet in Japan in October with support for the FeliCa wireless technology used in the region with the upcoming iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. It will also support FeliCa in the newest versions of Apple Watch. Apple's FeliCa support was rumored last month.

According to merchants, "over 90% of wireless transactions and contactless payments are now made with Apple Pay," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, during the event.

Additionally, Apple is nurturing an app store ecosystem for its iMessages app, and consumers will be able to "use these apps … to make payments and more," said Apple CEO Tim Cook during the event.

Daniel Wolfe

Content Director, Payments and Credit Unions, American Banker

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