Apple Pay is coming to major US transit systems this year

Apple’s Monday press event was chock full of big announcements. The iPhone maker revealed it’s now diving into news subscriptions, original video content, and even credit cards. 

But one major announcement that Apple snuck into its keynote presentation has a huge potential to change millions of people’s lives. Apple revealed at its Monday press event that Apple Pay will be supported by the public transit systems in New York City, Portland, and Chicago starting later in 2019.

Specific details on how it will work or when each city will get Apple Pay support were scant. The announcement was couched within a larger reveal of Apple’s credit card and additional Apple Pay developments, so it wasn’t a big priority during the presentation.

However, Apple Pay can already get people from place to place in plenty of places outside the United States. Support for the mobile payment service exists in transit systems in China, Russia, Japan and the United Kingdom already. 

New York City has been trying to gradually get rid of its transit MetroCard for years now, so Apple Pay support isn’t surprising. MacRumors reported earlier this year that Los Angeles was looking into Apple Pay support for its public transit, too, though LA wasn’t mentioned during Apple’s event.

If Apple Pay is coming to these cities, it stands to reason that the Android alternative Google Pay eventually will, too. While it will undoubtedly be more convenient for plenty of people, it’s possible that others will prefer to use physical cards once these payment systems are fully rolled out.