Independent UK businesses quickly jump on board with Apple Pay

Image Credit: Wall Street Journal

One prominent example is Shoreditch Grind, a London coffee shop, the Wall Street Journal said on Friday. Store manager Alex Ghalleb commented that few customers have tried Apple Pay so far, but he expects it to become an advantage as mobile payments increase in popularity. In August, the shop is planning to launch an app that will allow preorders with any smartphone, not just iPhones.

Flypay, a developer that builds apps for ordering and paying for meals, said that its titles will support Apple Pay in the near future. Meanwhile, payment technology firm Payleven is also working on an Apple Pay-compatible product, and flower delivery service Bloom & Wild is currently accepting in-app transactions via Apple's platform. People wanting to conduct money transfers using the technology can do so through a Transferwise app.

Wireless payments in general are a growing phenomenon in the U.K., although non-cash payment methods only became dominant there in 2014. Apple Pay launched in the region on Monday, and can be used at over 250,000 locations, with card support by a number of major banks.

Back in the U.S., Apple Pay is still largely the domain of big national and regional chains. The company has been trying to encourage independents but without much success. In that realm Apple faces competition from platforms like Square and PayPal, which are tailored to small-scale deployments.