iOS 16 surprise — Apple Pay could be coming to Chrome

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Third-party browsers on iPhone will finally let you shop using Apple Pay

Apple Pay
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple's iPhone 14 is set to launch very soon, and while iOS 16 hints at all the new tricks the latest flagship will boast, like Lockdown Mode and editing texts, Apple Pay appears to be another feature set to get an upgrade.

Contributor Stever Mose at MacRumors discovered added Apple Pay support to third-party browsers in the iOS 16 beta 4, allowing iPhone users to Apple's payment system in browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. What's more, a Reddit post also suggests it works on Mozilla Firefox, and this was back in iOS 16 beta 2.

In the tweet, Moser points out that Apple Pay on iOS 15 only works exclusively in Safari, but it's now expanding to other browsers. This means iPhone and iPad users can shop away in other browsers and can use Apple Pay at checkout, which has been a handy feature in Apple's own browser. 

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Only on iPhone, not Mac

While Apple Pay support in other browsers is available in the iOS 16 beta, Moser points out that it's unavailable on the macOS versions of Edge and Chrome.

"This doesn’t work in Edge or Chrome on that latest macOS beta because I assume it requires the third party render engines to be updated whereas Edge and Chrome on iOS use Safari’s render engine," Moser states.

This may be due to third-party browsers like Chrome on macOS not using WebKit, Apple's browser engine. While this is used in browsers on iOS and iPadOS, it's not a requirement on macOS. Still, it seems Apple Pay support is set to expand once iOS 16 officially arrives.

Expanded Apple Pay support appears to have been in development for a while, despite the Cupertino-based tech giant now exclusively saying it was in the works during WWDC 2022. As previously mentioned, third-party browser support was spotted in the developer beta 2 over a month ago.

If you're looking to check out all the new perks Apple's latest software update is set to bring, find out how to download the iOS 16 public beta.

Darragh Murphy
Darragh Murphy

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.