An upcoming iOS 27 feature will help users split the bill with others, all by taking a photograph of a receipt with their iPhone.
One of the constant problems of having a social life is splitting the bill at the end of a meal. While one person often pays with others promising to pay them back, Apple wants to make it easier to get that money from your friends.
In one of the few feature updates arriving in iOS 27 during WWDC week, Bloomberg was told by people familiar with the plans that the feature will help users quickly divide a bill up. After photographing the receipt, a user can then assign items to different contacts, and send a payment request.
It will be handled through the Apple Wallet app or via Messages, and is tied to Apple Cash. The request will be sent off, with recipients able to approve and pay from their iPhone or Apple Watch.
As well as selecting items from the receipt, users will also be able to deal with other elements that aren't easily divided up. This includes calculating the share of a bill, relevant taxes, and a person's share of a tip.
Mini Sherlocks
The feature is one that seems like a natural addition for users, but it also affects apps and services that work in the same realm.
For a start, there are third-party apps that specifically deal with bill sharing and splitting. Apps like Splitwise, Splid, and Settle Up will all have to deal with being Sherlocked, referring to Apple developing something that replaces a third-party alternative.
It's not just smaller apps that can be hit. As the feature centers around Apple Cash, it's something that will also affect payment services used to send money between contacts.
Companies such as Venmo and Cash App will be affected here, among others.
