Apple Pay continues its global expansion this week by reaching its third market, set to launch in Canada on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
At least at first, however, Apple Pay will have a limited reach in Canada because American Express apparently has exclusivity.
"According to American Express, the service is set to launch this Tuesday, November 17, 2015. Customer service representatives we spoke with confirmed the date over the phone numerous times, and is in line with what you've told us as well," reports iPhone Canada.
Back in late October, American Express announced its partnership with Apple and said that its customers should be the first to use Apple's mobile payments service in Canada and Australia. At the time, the company only said that this option would become available "beginning this year." Spain, Hong Kong and Singapore will get the same treatment next year.
"With a global issuer like American Express, we are thrilled to seamlessly bring our easy, secure and private way to pay to more customers internationally," Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey said at the time.
Similarly to how Apple Pay works in other countries where it's already available, the mobile payments service will allow American Express card holders in Canada to pay in a simple and secure manner, getting real-time notifications and details for purchases. Moreover, connecting to the Amex Mobile app will offer customers enhanced account monitoring features, services, as well as access to available offers and rewards.
American Express also offers fraud and online protection, promising to safeguard customers' privacy and security. Adding a card to Apple Pay will not store the card number on the device, it will assign a unique Device Account Number that's encrypted and stored in the Secure Element of their handset. A one-time unique dynamic code will also be necessary to authorize each transaction, further increasing security.
According to an earlier report from The Globe and Mail, Apple teamed up with American Express in an effort to speed up the Apple Pay launch in Canada, after having lackluster discussions with major banks and credit card companies in the country. Apple should add more partners soon, but for now American Express will be the only option for Apple Pay in Canada.
