This summer, Apple is set to introduce its “contactless payment technology” Apple Pay to Britain, shortly after a secret meeting was reported to have taken place in London to “end cash”. The iPhone is already fitted with a wireless microchip which can be used to pay in a similar manner to contactless cards, with The Telegraph suggesting Apple Pay could be rolled out in the UK as soon as August.Apple’s website promotes Apple Pay as:
“Your wallet. Without the wallet. Paying in stores or within apps has never been easier. Gone are the days of searching for your wallet. The wasted moments finding the right card. Now payments happen with a single touch. Apple Pay will change how you make purchases with breakthrough contactless payment technology and unique security features built right into the devices you have with you every day. So you can use your iPhone to pay in a simple, secure, and private way.”
Despite sounding like an easier and more convenient way to purchase goods and services, many around the world have voiced fears over the move towards a cashless society. Apple Pay is one step closer towards a global cashless society, where cash is banned and every transaction is tracked by authorities.
Apple itself has been accused of violating its customer’s rights by allowing the National Security Agency (NSA) access to user’s private information, although Apple has denied this charge. If this accusation is true however, can we trust ‘Apple Pay’ to truly be a “private way” to make payments and not another tool for government surveillance?