When versions of iOS 8.1 were released Monday (Sept. 29), they included hidden settings for Apple Pay, according to a report in MacRumors. Given that Apple Pay has been announced, the existence of the settings is not surprising. It’s also not surprising that the settings are hidden, given that Apple Pay isn’t slated to launch until October and the existence of settings for a not-yet-existent service would be confusing to users.
The settings “will allow users to manage their entered credit and debit cards linked to Apple Pay, as well as define their default card, billing and shipping address, e-mail, and phone,” the story said. “The Settings screen for Apple Pay also links to a privacy disclosure outlining how the user’s card and device information and location may be sent back to Apple and perhaps passed on to the card issuer to determine eligibility and detect possible fraud.”
An interesting note is the story found hints of future Apple hardware to support the service, according to screen captures taken by developer Hamza Sood. “While Apple has so far only announced that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and Apple Watch will be compatible with Apple Pay, Sood has also turned up evidence suggesting next-generation iPad models will include Touch ID support and Apple Pay. The evidence comes in the form of a code string addressing support for the services: ‘Pay with iPad using Touch ID. With Apple Pay, you no longer need to type card numbers and shipping information,'”the story reported. “It is unclear whether the upcoming iPads will include NFC technology for point-of-sale transactions or if Apple Pay support on the iPad will be limited to app-based transactions, but Apple’s upcoming iPad have been widely rumored to see the addition of Touch ID.”