Apple has finally announced that Apple Pay, its contactless payments system, is coming to the UK this July. It will be available in over 250,000 locations when it launches next month - that's more than the US during its initial launch - and it will support 70% of all debit cards by the autumn, including Natwest, Santander, American Express, RBS, Nationwide, HSBC and Ulster Bank.
The biggest news of the night, though, was that it will be supported on London buses and TFL - which will no doubt be excellent news for London commuters. It's not just travel you'll be able to use Apple Pay for in the UK either, as it will also be supported by well-known chains such as Waitrose, M&S, Costa, Wagamama, Post Office, McDonalds, KFC and Boots to name just a few.
When Apple Pay arrives, you'll be able to add store, credit and debit cards, and Apple said that loyalty cards and rewards cards will also be coming over the next few months. To make everything easier to find, Apple's also renaming its Passbook to Wallet in the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 9. When this feature does arrive, all you need to do is hold your iPhone up to the card reader, and Apple Pay will automatically select the right reward card.
Meanwhile, in the US, it will be accepted in over 1 million locations next month, which is four times the number of locations when it first launched. You can also purchase items straight out of apps, such as Pinterest.
Likewise, Apply Pay will be integrated throughout other applications, including locations in Maps. Tap on a shop or restaurant, for instance, and the info page will show a small Apple Pay logo if it supports the contactless payment system.
iOS 9 will be coming this autumn as a free upgrade, but you can sign up for the public beta today by visiting beta.apple.com
