The countdown to Apple’s event on September 9, where it will almost certainly announce the next iPhones, has started — and rumors are increasingly piling up.
The latest is that Apple will be announcing a partnership with payment facilitators including Visa and MasterCard, as it plans to turn the new iPhone into a mobile wallet, Bloomberg reports. Re/code separately reports that Apple has also reached an agreement with American Express.
The new iPhone is said to introduce an easier mobile payment process with the inclusion of a near-field communication (NFC) chip. Along with the fingerprint reader which debuted on the iPhone 5s, this could mean that users can pay for items in a store with the touch of a finger, Bloomberg says.
Re/code reports that customers will simply present their phones at the checkout counters of partner retailers to pay for their purchases, though it isn’t clear yet which retailers have reached an agreement with Apple.
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Reports suggest the next iPhone will come in two sizes. One model will have a 4.7-inch display, while another sports a 5.5-inch version. We know it will run iOS 8, Apple’s refreshed mobile OS, and it’s likely to sport a different look.
➤ Apple Said to Team With Visa, MasterCard on iPhone Wallet [Bloomberg]
➤ Apple Partnering With American Express On New iPhone Payments System [Re/code]
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Headline image via Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
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