Apple Pay has added two notable UK banks to the support roster in TSB and Tesco Bank.
The iPhone-driven mobile payment platform got off to a slightly slow start when it hit the UK in July, but Apple’s service has attracted stronger support in the ensuing months.
Now two new UK financial services have joined Apple Pay in TSB and Tesco Bank. Both banks have issued statements confirming their support in recent days.
As Engadget points out, Tesco Bank’s support is somewhat unusual in that Tesco itself still doesn’t accept Apple Pay payments in its stores. In fact, the vast majority of Tesco supermarkets don’t even have contactless payment technology at their tills.
Still, Tesco’s banking arm is now on board, which means that the number of high profile Apple Pay hold outs has been reduced to one glaring exception: Barclays. The UK’s second biggest bank still doesn’t support Apple’s mobile payment platform, despite repeated assurances that such support is imminent.
Related: Android Pay vs Apple Pay
One of the most recent reports, which came in a month ago, revealed that Barclays was now targeting early in the New Year for its Apple Pay support.
Besides widespread banking support, Apple Pay can be used in a number of top UK shop and restaurant chains. The Apple website currently lists 28 of these, including the likes of M&S, Nandos, Starbucks, Greggs, and Spar. Another four chains (Costcutter, Dune, JD Sport, and New Look) are said to be “coming soon.”
Next, see how we got on with Apple Pay when it hit the UK earlier in the year:
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.