• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Apple

Apple Pay is coming to town

By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
October 12, 2014, 11:53 AM ET

There’s no Starbucks in the small Western Massachusetts town where I live these days. No Whole Foods, either. No Bloomingdales, Macy’s or Disney Store. The nearest Apple Store is a 40-minute drive.

There is, however, a Staples, a MacDonalds, a Subway and a Walgreens.

I’m going to Walgreens because it’s walking distance, and because a company-wide memo leaked to MacRumors yesterday said its cashiers would be ready next Saturday to do business with my iPhone 6.

Apple Pay is coming to town, and I can’t wait to try it.

[UPDATE: It’s coming on Monday Oct. 20, says Apple.}

I’m a sucker for the friction-free economy. I use EZ-Pass at the toll booth, pay by app at Starbucks and deposit paper checks by iPhone. I’ve set up automatic deductions for every creditor that lets me, and I resent the ones that don’t.

So I have a date Saturday to buy something — anything — at Walgreens and settle my debt with Apple Pay. It’s the main reason I traded up from a perfectly good iPhone 5S last month, and it’s why I’ll probably buy an Apple Watch next year.

If it works — a big if on Day One of any mobile service, especially one with as many moving parts — checkout at Walgreens should be faster, more secure and more fun. And the line should move more quickly.

I believe that last bit — the line moving more quickly — is the feature that’s going to sell Apple Pay. At least for people like me, people who use credit cards even for small transactions because they don’t like to fish around for exact change, and who lose patience with people ahead of them who do.

Below: Apple’s list of stores that will be supporting Apple Pay’s initial rollout. Among those that won’t are Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Pizza Hut.

Screen Shot 2014-10-12 at 5.59.13 AM

Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter at @philiped. Read his Apple (AAPL) coverage at fortune.com/ped or subscribe via his RSS feed.

About the Author
By Philip Elmer-DeWitt
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.