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08/06/2022

Buy Now Pay Later Announced By Apple As Part Of Its iOS 16 Plans




Buy Now Pay Later Announced By Apple As Part Of Its iOS 16 Plans
Apple is developing a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service as part of its upcoming iOS 16 operating system. Apple Pay Later will allow consumers in the United States to divide the cost of a purchase into four instalments over six weeks, with no interest or fees charged.
 
It is one of several new iPhone capabilities, including the ability to edit iMessages and one designed to assist those in abusive situations. The additions were announced during WWDC, Apple's annual developer conference.
 
The way low-income people use BNPL services, which are still unregulated in the UK, has been criticised.
 
In December 2021, Panorama reported that an estimated 15 million persons of all ages in the UK are actively using BNPL, with the main operators in the UK offering the service being Klarna, Clearpay, Laybuy, and PayPal.
 
Concerns have been raised about whether individuals are overly reliant on it, after Citizens Advice discovered in March that one in every twelve people uses BNPL services to cover essentials such as food and toiletries.
 
According to Citizens Advice, young people, those in debt, and persons claiming Universal Credit were at least twice as likely as other groups to have used BNPL for these fundamental needs.
 
Apple has not commented on whether it plans to extend its BNPL service to the iOS platform.
 
The new version of iOS 16, which will be launched in the autumn, will offer a number of new capabilities to the iPhone. The iPhone lock screen is getting a major overhaul, with users being able to do more than just change the background image.
 
As is presently possible on Apple Watch, users will be able to adjust how the clock locks and add widgets to display weather, activity rings, and other information.
 
This will also include the possibility to select between several lock screens with different functionality, such as an exercise lock screen with activity monitors.
 
Other notable developments include the option to modify and "unsend" iMessages sent via Apple's Messages app, as well as the introduction of a function called Safety Check.
 
It claims that Safety Check is designed to "protect persons in abusive situations" by allowing users to view and swiftly revoke all rights granted to someone else on their phone.
 
This includes removing access to passwords as well as Find My Phone. According to Apple, this included a "emergency reset," which allowed users to check out of iCloud on all devices and only allow one device to send and receive messages.
 
Apple has been hailed online for this feature, with one person stating it is "going to assist so many people" and the Electronic Frontier Foundation's director of Cybersecurity calling it a "wonderful thing for survivors of intimate partner violence."
 
(Source:www.businessinsider.com)

Christopher J. Mitchell

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