Apple Tap to Share Could Replace Payment Terminals in Apple Stores

Apple is preparing to expand its iPhone payment system in retail stores as iOS 27 introduces the new Apple Tap to Share feature. The update builds on Tap to Pay on iPhone, which lets merchants accept contactless payments without separate point-of-sale hardware.



Mark Gurman reports that Apple will give more retail employees iPhone 16 models because they handle contactless cards more reliably than the iPhone 14 units currently used across many stores.




“Apple has found that the iPhone 16 does a better job and eliminates the need for store employees to carry around the specialized terminals,” Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter.




As Apple reduces dedicated card readers, shoppers will tap a card, iPhone, or Apple Watch directly on an employee’s iPhone. Apple Tap to Share should make this process more common by expanding the company’s NFC-based sharing and payment tools across iOS 27.