Apple's latest hire could help bring Apple Pay to Europe
It looks like a recent Apple hire could help the Cupertino, California-based company bring its NFC-powered “Apple Pay” system to Europe, a recent report explains.
According to PaymentEye (via Cult of Mac), Apple has poached Mary Carol Harris: director of mobile at Visa Europe. Of course, given Harris’s experience, the hire should form part of Cupertino’s anticipated expansion of Apple Pay to Europe.
The report explains:
With 14 years’ experience in the digital payments and mobile payment sector, Harris is an industry force to be reckoned with. Having previously headed up NFC at Telefonica, she switched to Visa in 2008, initially as a senior manager in the mobile payments unit before progressing to the joint role of vice president and head of strategic alliances and projects in mobile, contactless and innovation.
Apple Pay will be available in the United States on Apple’s NFC-equipped iPhone handsets, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, next month, and it’ll be compatible with the upcoming Apple Watch, too.
In order to launch the payments system across the pond, however, Cupertino still has to secure partnerships with some of Europe’s biggest banks. Given her past experience, we’re sure this is something Harris will be able to help with.
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