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Tencent has rolled out local versions of WeChat Pay in places like Hong Kong, but it hasn’t been widely adopted outside mainland China. (Picture: SCMP)
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Apple Pay could add QR code payments to iOS 14, similar to China’s WeChat and Alipay

  • Report looking at iOS 14 code finds QR codes could be added to the iPhone Wallet app
  • QR code payments are already widely popular in China, and Apple adoption could help it catch on elsewhere
Mobile payments
Xinmei Shen
Xinmei Shen
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In China, hundreds of millions of people use QR codes to pay in stores and at street stalls every day. The barcode-like squares can be seen everywhere in the country, popularised by the dominant mobile payment apps Alipay and WeChat Pay. Now it looks like Apple will is bringing this feature to all iPhone users with iOS 14.

(South China Morning Post is owned by Alibaba, whose affiliate Ant Financial operates Alipay.)

How the QR code conquered China

After Apple released the iOS 14 Beta 2 for developers on Tuesday, 9to5Mac found that the code includes a hidden feature in the Wallet app that could allow users to use Apple Pay simply by pointing the iPhone camera at a QR code or barcode. The feature doesn’t work yet, but 9to5Mac was able to see a picture showing how it might work in the future.
Apple is also adding QR codes to iOS 14’s App Clips, which lets people use part of an app without downloading it. And the company is reportedly planning an augmented reality app named Gobi that uses QR codes.
The black-and-white square codes haven’t caught on in most of the world the way they have in China. Integration with iOS 14 could help popularise QR code mobile payments elsewhere. Popular mobile payment systems like Apple Pay and Google Pay currently use near-field communication, which is considered faster and more secure.
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