Because commerce is nothing without rewards and incentive programs.
Rumor has it that Apple is set to announce a rewards program next month that will give perks to customers using Apple Pay, a feature that could escalate the stakes in what appears to be a coming battle with Google’s competing Android Pay service.
Sources have indicated that Apple will announce its Apple Pay rewards program in June, potentially at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference.
The sources have stated that Apple will offer Apple Pay customers perks in exchange for using the service, which is currently hardware-limited to iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch.
Google is apparently fostering partnerships with a wide range of credit and debit cards providers, as well as merchants keen on harvesting customer shopping data. To this end, Android Pay may link with existing retailer loyalty programs.
Interestingly, part of Google’s revamped mobile payments initiative involves the resurrection of Google Wallet, which will reportedly serve as a peer-to-peer solution tied to users’ debit accounts.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and The New York Times