Apple launched Apple Pay a decade ago. This payment platform integrates hardware and software and has evolved and expanded globally in the past ten years. Cupertino says hundreds of millions of consumers use the service in 78 markets, in tens of millions of stores worldwide, and is supported by more than 11,000 bank and network partners. The service's success is revealed by its fanbase; 90% of users cited its ease of use, 88% the privacy it provides, and 87% the security of the service, all pillars of a safe payment service. "We know how important it is for customers to feel secure and trust that their financial transactions are private when making a payment. That’s why we’re always working to safeguard consumers while also enabling banks to have industry-low levels of fraud for Apple Pay transactions," says Jennifer Bailey, Apple's V.P. of the service and Apple Wallet. "And it’s also why Apple Pay was designed to protect users’ highly sensitive personal and financial information, like their card number, which is never shared with merchants. Our customers trust that when they use Apple Pay anywhere, they can have the peace of mind that their payments are protected." With iOS 18, Apple is expanding the payment service, offering access to installment loan options from Affirm in the U.S. and Monzo Flex in the U.K. Eligible users in these countries also have the option to access Klarna's flexible payment options right at checkout online and in-app. In the future, users will also be able to access installment payment options from eligible credit or debit cards when making online purchases with Apple Pay in the U.S. with Citi, Synchrony, and across eligible, participating issuers with Fiserv; in Australia with ANZ; in Singapore with DBS; in Spain with CaixaBank; and in the U.K. with HSBC, NewDay, and Zilch, with more issuers to follow. Additionally, with iOS 18, Apple Pay users in the U.S. can now redeem rewards with eligible Discover credit cards when they check out with Apple Pay online and in-app on iPhone and iPad. In the future, users will also be able to redeem rewards for purchases with Apple Pay in the U.S. with Synchrony and across eligible, participating Apple Pay issuers with Fiserv and FIS, and in Singapore with DBS, with more issuers to follow. Don't Miss: Here’s why you should use Apple Pay instead of a credit card this holiday season The post Apple celebrates 10 years of Apple Pay with new features and more payment methods appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Top Prime Day deals you can still get: $279 Oura Ring 3, Apple sale, Ninja air fryers, Sonos speakers, more Reolink Fall Prime Day: Autumn’s Best Deals on Home Security – Get up to 44% OFF Today’s deals: Apple Watch Series 10, Ninja Blender, Dreo space heaters, portable tire inflator, more Today’s deals: $40 in Amazon credit, Nintendo Switch games, $20 waterproof Bluetooth speaker, more

On February 14, couples from around the world recognize Valentine’s Day. For most, Valentine’s Day is a day of love, a day to shower a beloved with gifts and tokens of appreciation, to enjoy a romantic meal, and perhaps to share moments of intimacy. Cynics consider it to be a Hallmark greeting-card holiday, created by the retail business in order to get people to spend money on flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals, jewelry, travel, meals, and other luxuries. However, Valentine’s Day is not a modern creation. Rather, it is a day with ancient roots, both cultural and religious. With many legends and tales surrounding Valentine’s Day, the supposed day of love, it can be difficult to ascertain exactly where and how Valentine’s Day originated. Pagan Roots of Valentine’s Day During Roman times, an annual festival known as Lupercalia occurred from February 13 - 15 of each year. During this festival, men would strip naked and swat young maidens with dog- or goat-skin whips, supposedly to increase their fertility. This practice began well before Christianity was adopted within the Roman Empire, and it continued after the legalization of Christianity. Lupercalia (circa 1635) by Andrea Camassei. (Public domain) Read moreSection: Ancient WritingsNewsMyths & LegendsEuropeAncient PlacesEuropeHistoryAncient TraditionsPreviewRead Later 

North Korea confirmed Thursday that its recently revised constitution defines South Korea as "a hostile state" for the first time, two days after it blew up unused road and rail links that once connected the country with the South.North Korea's rubberstamp parliament met...

Got yourself a standing desk because you know sitting is unhealthy? It might be the wrong move, new research suggests. The study of over 83,000 British adults who wore special movement monitors on their wrists found no benefit to exchanging sitting for standing, in the...

An independent panel investigating the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally faulted the Secret Service for poor communications that day and failing to secure the building where the gunman took his shots.

Facebook owner Meta's Oversight Board on Thursday invited comments from the public on the posting of immigration-related content that may be harmful to immigrants, and shared two cases that Facebook moderators decided to keep on the platform. The board plans to assess...

The Biden administration's FBI is defending its changing of crime data.

A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution printed 237 years ago sent to the states to be ratified is being auctioned Thursday evening in North Carolina.Brunk Auctions is selling the copy - the only of its type thought to be in private hands. The minimum bid of $1 million has...

A Texas man who could be the first person in the U.S. executed for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome is facing a lethal injection Thursday evening amid assertions by his attorneys and a diverse coalition of supporters who say he's innocent and...

More than 1 billion people are living in acute poverty across the world, a U.N. Development Program report said Thursday, with children accounting for over half of those affected.