Visa Europe, Wireless Dynamics bring contactless payments to iPhone
27 January, 2011
category: NFC
Visa Europe and Wireless Dynamics announced the development of a mobile contactless payment solution that will bring contactless payments to iPhone users across Europe.
The solution uses Wireless Dynamics’ iCarte, an attachable iPhone accessory that contains an antenna and an embedded Secure Element where the Visa mobile card is stored.
To use the solution, consumers simply attach iCarte to their iPhone and download the Visa Mobile for iCarte App. Purchases are made by launching the app and passing the iPhone over any contactless-enabled point of sale terminal across Europe.
The iCarte accessory, available from participating banks and mobile operators, is compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPhone3G on iOS 3.1 or higher.
Visa has already launched iCarte in Turkey with Yapi Kredi bank and Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile operator. Yapi Kredi customers equipped with a Turkcell mobile plan can now make contactless iCarte transactions at some 40,000 contactless point of sale terminals in Turkey.
The product is also being used in the UK with Visa staff in London with partners FIS and Coventry Building Society.
Visa Europe says it will soon move on to its member banks and partner mobile operators in Italy, France, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK.