Instead of Apple Pay: PayPal launches contactless payment on iPhone
For the first time, iPhone users can make contactless payments without having to use Apple Pay. PayPal can also be set up as a standard wallet.
NFC payments on iPhones were previously only possible via Apple Pay – Now other providers can also support this.
PayPal is currently launching a new function for NFC payments in Germany. The first users can now set up a virtual debit Mastercard in the PayPal app, and a PayPal account of the Mac & i editorial team has been showing the extended functionality since Tuesday – even without another app update. This enables contactless payments at NFC checkout terminals.
On the iPhone, this is a first in this country: for the first time, you can use your smartphone to pay in stores without having to use Apple Pay or Apple Wallet. To avoid a competition fine, Apple has opened up the NFC interface for other mobile payment services – now also outside the EU.
PayPal optionally replaces Apple Pay as the default wallet
To make contactless payments, users must allow the PayPal app to access the iPhone's NFC interface once. PayPal then needs to be configured as the default app for contactless payments, which is possible via the iOS 18 settings. The standard wallet receives all the convenient functions that were previously reserved for Apple Pay or the Apple Wallet. If you hold your iPhone up to a checkout terminal, PayPal will present your card for payment, which can be conveniently approved using Face ID. Pressing the iPhone side button twice also opens the PayPal Mastercard for payment.
Videos by heise
The "PayPal Card" created in the app uses the existing PayPal balance for payment transactions or debits the amount directly from a stored bank account. Optionally, it is possible to order a physical card, which costs 5 euros. This can be used to withdraw cash from ATMs, for example, as the payment service explains. A fee of 2 euros is charged for each withdrawal.
NFC payments on iPhones and Android devices
NFC payments are not only possible with the iPhone app, but also with the Android app from PayPal. This can then also be set as the default wallet in Android. Android users have been able to make contactless payments with their PayPal account via Google Pay for some time, but this option was never available in Apple Pay. It remains to be seen whether PayPal will leave Google Pay at the same time. PayPal has held out the prospect of installment payments and cashback campaigns for NFC payments to entice users to switch to its wallet. There was no sign of this at the time of going to press.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(lbe)
