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蘋果(Apple)與中國銀聯(UnionPay)及15家中國銀行達成了一項人們期待已久的協議，將在中國推出其移動支付業務。
銀聯的發卡量達50億張，銀聯卡可在中國各地及150多個國家使用。蘋果可借助這一合作搭上銀聯的便車。中國農業銀行(ABC)、中國銀行(BOC)、中國建設銀行(CCB)和中國工商銀行(ICBC)等多家銀行將為Apple Pay提供支持。
不過，Apple Pay在中國內地的推出仍有待監管部門批準。蘋果表示，Apple Pay“將按照中國監管部門要求完成相關檢測和認證，之后正式向中國地區的銀聯卡持卡人開放此項服務，預計最快2016年初”。
用戶可使用Apple Pay在簽約零售商處進行支付，他們只需將拇指放在iPhone的主屏幕鍵上，然后用手機貼一下收銀設備就可結賬。這款應用由設備內的安全芯片提供支撐。
中國是蘋果的一個重要市場，目前，該公司在全球其他地區的增長已經放緩。由于iPhone對中國消費者依然具有吸引力，去年大中華區的銷售額翻番至125億美元。
蘋果互聯網軟件與服務高級副總裁艾迪錠埃(Eddy Cue)表示：“對于蘋果而言，中國市場的重要性不言而喻。通過攜手中國銀聯以及15家中國主要銀行的支持，中國的用戶即將可以享受便捷、安全和私密的支付體驗。”
中國銀聯執行副總裁柴洪峰表示：“中國銀聯致力于推動支付創新，聯合產業各方為數億銀聯卡持卡人提供安全、便捷的移動支付體驗。”
銀聯的閃付(QuickPass)技術已經讓許多持卡人可以“閃一下”他們的信用卡就完成支付。上周，銀聯表示已有20多家銀行支持新的移動支付服務。去年中國消費者用他們的智能手機完成了價值3.5萬億美元的交易，不過，該市場占主導地位的是阿里巴巴(Alibaba)的支付寶(Alipay)和騰訊(Tencent)的財付通(Tenpay)。（中國進出口網）
Apple has struck a long-awaited deal with UnionPay and 15 Chinese banks to launch its mobile payments service in China.
The tie-up will allow Apple to tap UnionPay’s 5bn issued cards, which are accepted across China and in more than 150 countries. Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank and ICBC are among the lenders lined up to support Apple Pay.
However, the mainland rollout of Apple Pay is still awaiting regulatory clearance. Apple said it hoped UnionPay customers would be able to add their cards to the service “as soon as early 2016 after relevant tests and certification required by Chinese regulators”.
The app, powered by a secure chip inside the device, allows customers to pay at participating retailers by holding their thumb on the iPhone’s home button and tapping it at the checkout.
China is a vital market for Apple at a time when growth has slowed in other parts of the world. Sales from the Greater China region doubled last year to $12.5bn, as the iPhone retains its cache among Chinese consumers.
“China is an extremely important market for Apple and with China UnionPay and support from 15 of China’s leading banks, users will soon have a convenient, private and secure payment experience,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice-president of internet software and services.
Chai Hongfeng, executive vice-president of China UnionPay, said: “China UnionPay is dedicated to promoting payment innovations and providing secure, convenient mobile payment experiences for its hundreds of millions of cardholders.”
UnionPay’s QuickPass technology already allows many cardholders to pay by tapping their credit cards. Last week, UnionPay said more than 20 banks were backing a new mobile payment service. Chinese consumers used their smartphones to make $3.5tn worth of transactions last year but the market is dominated by Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s Tenpay.
