PALO ALTO, U.S. -- Apple will partner with a Sony unit to bring its smartphone-based payment service to Japan, using the partner's contactless FeliCa technology to piggyback on existing infrastructure.
The U.S. smartphone giant will team with FeliCa Networks to make the iPhone compatible with the technology, likely by adding a feature letting it communicate with FeliCa readers. iPhone users, who account for half of the Japanese smartphone market, will be able to use Apple Pay for contactless payment at convenience stores or vending machines with FeliCa-compatible terminals.
