HSBC Confirms Apple Pay Will Launch In The UK Tomorrow

The UK launch of Apple Pay has seemingly been confirmed for tomorrow (July 14) following a slip of the tongue from one of the country’s major banks.

HSBC’s social media team was apparently a bit too keen to talk about Apple’s new payment technology, with a member from the bank saying, ‘Yes! It’s due to launch this Tuesday! We are excited too’, in a tweet that has since been deleted – but not before 9to5Mac captured it(pictured below).

The reveal comes as other eagle-eyed tech fans have spotted some shops are now sporting Apple Pay stickers in order to advertise the fact that they now accept it.

Imminent

Despite official confirmation from Apple yet to materialise, it seems almost certain that Apple Pay will launch in the UK tomorrow.

HSBC’s leak is the second from a major UK business, following an apparent leak from Waitrose last week. The company reportedly trained up its staff on how to use the technology last weekend, according to a leaked memo.

Some more visual clues were also spotted today, with several Twitter users posting photos of shopfronts that now sport an Apple Pay sticker, signifying that the store accepts the technology.

Originally announced last year, more details were revealed about how Apple Pay will work in the UK at the company’s recent Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).

On launch, it will support up to 70 percent of all debit and credit cards in the UK at 250,000 retailers, more than the US launch, with the likes of RBS, Natwest, Santander, Lloyds and TSB all confirmed alongside HSBC.

Users will be able to spend up to £20 per transaction, although this is expected to increase when the limit on contactless payments rises to £30 in September. However, a PIN number won’t be required to use the technology, which will work on the iPhone 6, 6 Plus and the Apple Watch.

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