New report claims to reveal Apple Pay launch date

Apple is expected to launch Apple Pay later this week, likely following its iPad and Mac event scheduled for October 16, with a report from 9to5Mac further detailing the wayApple’s contactless NFC-based payment solution is supposed to work.

Apparently, Apple retail store personnel is supposed to receive Apple Pay training ahead of the launch of this iPhone feature — which will be enabled via an iOS 8.1software update, and which will be initially available to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users from the U.S.

The publication has obtained access to such training materials, which reveal further details about how Apple Pay will look like on iOS devices. A new Settings menu forPassbook & Apple Pay will let users set up Apple Pay on their devices. Up to eight cards can be added manually, by taking a picture, or via iTunes, and for each card users will have a special menu that lets them access the most recent transactions, as well as contact the issuing financial institution.

Furthermore, users will be able to easily install the appropriate mobile banking app for each card they store in Passbook, and they’ll have an option to enable card-related notifications. Interestingly, Passbook will be able to automatically update expiration dates for cards, which means users won’t have to add the same card again after it expires.

Training documents have also revealed that Apple will use NFC-enabled EasyPay device for in-store Apple Pay purchases, and that any retail store employee, not jug geniuses, will be able to help out customers in case they’re experiencing issues with Apple Pay.

Interestingly, Apple Pay can be used for product return as well in Apple retail stores. A customer will only have to touch an iPhone 6 against an EasyPay terminal to populate it with recent transaction history for the store.

Apple isn’t the only company training its employees for the Apple Pay rollout. An internal memo obtained from Walgreens employees by MacRumors reveals that Apple Pay may be launched on October 18. The memo is meant to provide information about how Apple Pay payments is supposed to work in Walgreens stores.

Images from Apple’s Apple Pay training document, and the leaked Walgreens memo follow below.

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