Apple’s Mobile Payments Rumoured to Include Loyalty/Rewards Program

More details are emerging about what could be included in Apple’s rumoured mobile payments plans. Bank Innovation cites multiple unnamed sources noting Apple has plans to launch a pilot program to engage merchants, possibly setting up plans for an Apple-led loyalty/rewards program:

Apple will be launching a pilot program to develop partnerships with merchants, including retailers, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the program. The program may be related to Apple launching a loyalty/rewards program.

Rumors about Apple making a play for a loyalty rewards company heated up after Bloomberg reported that loyalty rewards company Concur was courting suitors for a sale. A source recently confirmed to Bank Innovation that IHG International, the global hotel chain, was in talks with Apple to develop a partnership on a loyalty program.

The site says worldwide hotel chain IHG was reportedly in talks with Apple to partner on a loyalty program. Also, sources say Apple has started hiring for this new division and the pilot details were said to be announced tomorrow—that was until the iCloud hack story broke—but could be delayed.

Bank Innovation also points to an Apple job posting from earlier in September which was seeking a senior worldwide partner marketing manager for iTunes, which the loyalty program could be linked to, as the position asked for someone to “develop digital and physical assets, programs and training materials to deploy across external partners in the U.S. and other regions.”

Apple’s NFC mobile payments solution was cited yesterday by the site to utilize tokenization technology for more secure transactions. We’ll find out the details in less than 24 hours, folks!

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