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Apple Pay is confirmed for the UK in July. Includes TFL support

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference just confirmed that Apple Pay is heading to the UK next month. Finally.

iPhone users in the US have enjoyed the option of the company’s mobile payment service for near on a year now, but Apple’s Jennifer Bailey has finally confirmed that Apple Pay is coming to the UK sometime next month.

Alongside expanding its reach Stateside, Bailey revealed that Apple Pay will launch in the UK, partnering with the country’s eight largest banks and a slew of popular high street retailers to offer Brits access to 250,000 potential places to pay from the off – that’s more locations than when it originally launched in the US.

Apple Pay UK banks
Apple’s Jennifer Bailey revealing the list of banks launching Apple Pay in the UK.

MasterCard and Visa have also both confirmed that their credit and debit cards are ready to play nice with Apple Pay and Bailey confirmed that that encompasses around 70 per cent of the active cards in the UK.

With regards to those retailers; everyone from Boots, to Costa, KFC, Waitrose and New Look are on board at launch, alongside Transport For London (aka TFL), who are ready to accept Apple Pay transactions across its bus, train and tube services. In a recent meeting with MasterCard, the company revealed to us that US Apple Pay users were already able to pay for their transport in the city, although we can only assume those international transactions might prove a little pricey for most.

Apple Pay UK retailers
…and the list of UK retail partners.

As a side note iOS 9 will see Passbook rebranded as Wallet and it’ll serve as the location for all your relevant store and loyalty cards.

Whilst we don’t have an exact date, Bailey confirmed that Brits can leverage the benefits of paying with their phone as of next month, we just hope it’s nearer to July 1st, rather than July 31st.

Read next: Apple announcements live from WWDC 2015

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