Apple

This holiday shopping season users might get to see the launch of the rumored loyalty rewards program that Apple was to launch alongside Apple Pay 2.0 in October 2015. Recent reports suggest that Apple may have pushed up the launch date, given the so far smooth roll-out of Apple Pay, and otherwise market demand.

With iOS 8.1 finally bringing Apple Pay to supported devices, both Apple and a large number of retailers are scrambling to get deals done and ensure that compliance with the secure, contactless new system is as fluid and seamless as possible. With many thousands of outlets already kitted out with NFC systems that will happily process payments via Apple Pay, there's already a solid foundation for contactless to prosper, but if you're perhaps wondering whether your credit or debit card is ready for Apple Pay, the chart below breaks everything down nice and simply.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users can use Apple Pay to make purchases not just in the U.S. but also internationally. If Apple Pay is supported by your credit / debit card that is U.S. bank issued, you will be able to make purchases at any retail store around the world, that accepts contactless payments.

Now that iOS 8.1 is out, Apple Pay has finally landed in the public domain. The feature will not be screaming at you on the screen, so you will need to do some digging before ultimately setting it up for use. In this guide, we’re going to show you how to do just that.