"But there is really nothing else like Paypal because it's incredibly easy and has removed a lot of barriers to making online payments," said Avivah Litan, research director for payment systems at the Gartner Group, a research firm.
But a buyout would make a lot of sense for Yahoo! and give the leading portal the upper hand against America Online, according to Avivah Litan, research director for payment services at the Gartner Group, a computer research firm.
"I don't expect there to be any visible effects at the cash register," said Aaron McPherson, practice director for payments at IDC Financial Insights.
But for other retailers and consumers, Apple has yet to answer the question "what is in it for us if we use Apple Pay?" said Alberto Jimenez, program director for mobile payments at IBM, which provides technology to mobile wallet makers and retailers.
Here are five things you can do to make sure Apple Pay is for you – now or down the line: Jonathan Vaux, Visa Europe's executive director for new digital payments and strategy, believes that "the advanced, secure, easy to use and convenient Apple Pay service is going to help normalise mobile payments".
But Bruce Cundiff, director of payments research and consulting for Javelin Strategy and Research, says the nonautomated approach is more problematic.
For instance, Saowanee Suwannacheep, the director of payments at Thailand's central bank, worries that the "legal infrastructure may not be ready yet", and wonders whether the greater ease of moving money might even lead to capital flight.
Darren Foulds, director for Pingit and mobile payments at Barclays, says the rise of artificial intelligence also brings many possibilities.
Fund manager Fidelity is among those taking a hard line, saying boards should be required to seek shareholder approval for "annual variable compensation" for directors before payment.
V.G.: The main stalling point now is that we are asking for payment for all the striking days, which ALMA's director had promised on 27 August.
Talk to your funeral director for information on how to assign a policy to the home for payment of the funeral expenses.
