- Apple Pay later was revealed at WWDC earlier this year.
- The Buy Now, Pay Later feature was originally intended to release alongside iOS 16.
- It is now coming in a future update for those in the US.
During its annual WWDC developer conference earlier in the year, Apple Pay Later was showcased as the company’s new Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solution.
At the time, it was suggested that Apple Pay Later would launch alongside iOS 16 in selected regions as a test before making a wider release. With iOS 16 now available, Apple Pay Later is curiously absent, as are a number of features showcased for the new version of Apple’s mobile operating system.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the feature may only reach consumers next year. In his weekly Power On Newsletter, Gurman cites a newly added message to the landing page of iOS 16.
“Coming in a future update for qualifying applicants in the United States for purchases online and in apps on iPhone and iPad. May not be available in all states,” it explains.
He also believes that Apple Pay Later will take longer than the other aforementioned features to reach iOS, as the rest have time frames and the BNPL solution does not. As such, we may have to wait until 2023 until it becomes available. The wait could be even longer if you are not in the US, as the above message notes that the United States is the primary territory for now.
“It’s possible the feature won’t arrive until iOS 16.4 in the spring. I’m hearing there have been fairly significant technical and engineering challenges in rolling out the service, leading to the delays,” adds Gurman.
While the wait is on, this new feature could prove an important one for Apple, particularly as BNPL solutions have surged during the pandemic and are expected to be massive revenue generators moving forward.
To that end, Straits Research estimated the global BNPL market to reach a staggering $3.68 trillion by 2030.
If that figure is indeed true, Apple will want Pay Later to be rolled out in the US and other territories as soon as possible.
