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Amidst announcements of new iPhones and its first-ever smartwatch, Apple introduced a new mobile payments solution on Tuesday, called Apple Pay. Compared to the traditional means of checking out with a credit or debit card, Apple promises its digital platform is much more secure and much faster to use - for buying things in physical retail stores but also online.
Apple Pay might compel consumers to finally leave their wallets at home - well, at least their credit cards - but it's expected to have a significant and much more immediate impact on mobile shopping. According to a 2014 survey from marketing firm Catalina, which was charted for us by Business Insider Intelligence, the main reason people don't use their phones to shop online is because it takes too long, whereas a trip to the store is perceived as less time-consuming.
The second-biggest reason in-app shopping isn't so popular is "it doesn't help me get past the checkout faster." Again, speed seems to be the key issue with mobile payments. But based on the Apple Pay software, which simply involves choosing your preferred card and placing your fingerprint on the home button ("that's it," as Tim Cook says), some of the major pain points of mobile shopping could be alleviated as soon as October, which is when Apple Pay will be released as a free update to iOS 8.
Business Insider Intelligence