KUALA LUMPUR: For the past few days, you've probably seen the Apple Pay logo at merchants' cash registers when you pay for your purchase at certain outlets in the country.
Yes, if you're thinking this mobile payment service by Apple is going to be available in Malaysia soon, then your guess is correct.
With its availability here, officially starting today, Apple users in Malaysia can digitise their debit or credit cards, and do contactless transactions at all NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminals. The service can work with any merchant that accepts contactless payments, and can be used on the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac.
As of today, only three banks in Malaysia have joined the Apple Pay service which are Maybank, AmBank and Standard Chartered Bank, with American Express cards to be available on the platform later this year.
Currently, only Maybank allows both its debit and credit cards to be used for Apple Pay, while the other two banks only offer credit card options for the platform.
A test at a couple of outlets in KLCC this morning, like Starbucks and Watson's, saw the service was already up and running, and transactions can be made. Apple users can Users can also add our own Maybank Visa credit card into the Wallet app this morning
Malaysia is the 74th country in the world, ninth in the Asia Pacific region and second market in Southeast Asia to get the Apple Pay service after Singapore, which has already been using it since April, 2016, about one and a half years after Apple launched the service in the US.
"We are delighted to bring Apple Pay to Malaysia, providing an easier, safer, and more secure way to pay with iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. We think users will love the convenience and security of using Apple Pay," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
"Our customers in Malaysia will benefit from using Apple Pay with the support of the most popular banks, merchants, and our customers' favourite apps," she said.
To use the Apple Pay, simply hold an iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless terminal, and authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID. When making purchases in Safari, customers can use Apple Pay without having to create an account, key in a PIN, fill out lengthy forms, or repeatedly type in shipping and billing information. Every Apple Pay purchase is authenticated with Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode, as well as a one-time unique dynamic security code.
Security-wise, Apple Pay is one of the most secure forms of payments as it adds two-factor authentication via Touch ID, Face ID, PIN, or passcode.
But what if your phone is stolen? Don't worry as the service requires the user's biometric authentication, hence nobody can use it to make any transactions except you.
Devices wirelessly communicate with point of sale systems using near-field communication (NFC), with an embedded secure element (eSE) to securely store payment data and perform cryptographic functions, and Apple's Touch ID and Face ID for biometric authentication.
Apple Pay allows up to 16 cards to be installed on the Apple Wallet app.
Among the merchants accepting Apple Pay in Malaysia now include KFC, Maxis, Machines, McDonald's, Mydin, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, U Mobile, Uniqlo, Village Grocer, and Watsons, and e-commerce sites like Shopee, Sephora, Atome, and Adidas.
How to register your Apple Pay:
1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Take out the debit/credit card that you want to use - now Maybank, AmBank and Standard Chartered.
3. Tap the plus sign at the top-right corner of the screen.
4. Tap the Continue button.
5. Align the front of your credit or debit card in the camera frame. Your iPhone will scan the card information and attempt to verify it with your bank.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm. You'll be prompted to enter some additional information lie OTP number to confirm the account.
7. The first card you add is set as your default payment method for Apple Pay. You can add additional cards if you wish.
8. Change your default payment method (optional). If you add multiple cards and want to change which card is used for payments.