Apple Pay use in the US steadily increasing beyond early adopters – report

According to the latest wave of Auriemma Consulting Groups bi-monthly Apple Pay Tracker, which interviews a fresh sample of 500 iPhone 6 owners every 8 weeks, there are high levels of repeat usage, with 63% reporting that they use Apple Pay at least weekly.

The study also points out that the Apple Pay base is broadening from the tech-savvy early adopters. In wave 1 (conducted between January 26 - February 6, 2015), 70% of Apple Pay users identified themselves as people who like to be the first to have the newest model phone. In wave 2, conducted April 10-20, that figure had dropped to 55%, indicating that less tech-oriented types are now trialling mobile payments via Apple Pay.

Consistent with the finding that the newer users might be less technologically adept, a significant number are reporting problems in set-up. The April survey found that 45% of respondents reported having issues setting up Apple Pay. Among those who reported issues setting up Apple Pay, 62% acquired their iPhone in 2015, compared to 38% who got their iPhone in 2014, the research notes.

Despite these issues, the study highlights that user satisfaction is very high, and their main complaint is the lack of retail venues accepting Apple Pay. 67% of those that have used Apple Pay in a brick and mortar store say they are migrating to merchants that accept Apple Pay. And 51% say that they are using other payment methods, such as cash, less often since they began using Apple Pay.

Auriemma Consulting Group is a boutique management consulting company with specialized focus on the payments and lending space.