Apple Pay Launched In India: How To Use It? What's Different From UPI? Featurse & Benefits Explained

Apple Pay has officially launched in India, bringing Apple's contactless digital payment service to the country nearly 12 years after its debut in the US. The service is launching in partnership with Axis Bank and initially supports eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards issued by the bank.

Users can add their cards to Apple Wallet and pay at supported contactless payment terminals, as well as make purchases in apps and online. Apple says card numbers are not stored on its servers or shared with merchants. The service is available on select iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch models, with Mac support expected soon.

What Is Apple Pay and How Is It Different From UPI?

Apple Pay is a digital wallet and contactless payment service that lets users make purchases using supported Apple devices instead of presenting a physical card. In India, users can add eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards to Apple Wallet and use them for contactless payments at NFC-enabled point-of-sale (PoS) terminals, as well as for in-app and online purchases.

Apple Pay and UPI both enable digital payments, but they work differently. Apple Pay in India currently uses eligible bank-issued credit cards and NFC technology for in-store tap-to-pay transactions. UPI, on the other hand, is a bank-to-bank payment system that typically lets users pay from a linked bank account using a UPI ID, mobile app or QR code. Apple Pay is therefore a way to use supported cards through Apple devices, while UPI enables payments directly through participating bank accounts.

How to Use Apple Pay in India

Users can add an eligible Axis Bank credit card to Apple Wallet in either of two ways:

1. Open the latest version of the Axis Bank app and follow the instructions to add the supported Visa or Mastercard to Apple Wallet.
2. Alternatively, open the Wallet app on an iPhone, tap the + button and follow the on-screen steps to add the card.

Once the card is set up, users can make contactless payments by holding a supported iPhone or Apple Watch near an NFC-enabled PoS terminal. Apple Pay can also be used for eligible in-app and online purchases where the payment option is supported.

Apple Pay Features and Benefits in India

Apple says Apple Pay does not store the actual card number on the device or its servers, and does not share that number with merchants. Instead, it uses a unique Device Account Number, which is encrypted and stored in the device's Secure Element, a dedicated chip designed to protect payment information.

The service also does not retain transaction information, according to Apple; transaction details remain between the user, merchant and card issuer or bank. For in-store payments, Apple Pay uses NFC, so tap-to-pay is available only at terminals that support contactless payments.

Apple Pay is initially limited in India to eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. The company says it plans to expand device support, with Mac compatibility expected in the future.