A new report from iPhone in Canada says Apple Pay will expand to its third market this week, launching in Canada on November 17th. However, the launch will be limited to American Express cards, due to an exclusive partnership with American Express.
iPhone in Canada, via MacRumors:
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.
The Globe and Mail reported last month that Apple would partner with American Express to expedite the launch of Apple Pay in Canada. This move reportedly came in response to talks with major Canadian banks and other credit card companies that had been “dragging.”
While it would have been ideal for Apple Pay to have been supported by all of the major credit card issuers, American Express may have been the most flexible among the credit-card companies, due to the fact it has suffered from sliding sales and profits in recent quarters due to the ending of a relationship with Costco Wholesale Co. that affected 10% of its outstanding cards.
The American Express partnership doesn’t stop at Canada for Apple Pay, as it is also teaming up with the card provider to bring Apple Pay to Australia by the end of 2015, and to bring the service to Spain, Singapore, and Hong Kong next year.
Apple Pay was initially launched in the United States back in September 2014 and then expanded to the United Kingdom earlier this year.
