WWDC 2025 - What’s new in Apple Pay

The latest WWDC session reveals substantial improvements to Wallet & Apple Pay, introducing features that will transform how users interact with payments and financial data. This analysis covers three major enhancement areas: merchant payment experience, order tracking capabilities, and FinanceKit API developments.

Dynamic Apple Pay Button Evolution

The new Apple Pay button displays dynamic card artwork, moving beyond the traditional static interface. The button now shows users their default payment method with actual card visuals, creating a more engaging checkout experience.

Key Benefits:

• Automatic adoption - SwiftUI and UIKit apps get the new button for free
• Smart card selection - System chooses optimal card based on Merchant Category Codes
• Fallback handling - Automatically presents next suitable option when primary card unavailable
• Privacy maintained - Card details remain inaccessible to applications

For developers preferring the previous design, a new view modifier maintains the original button styling across individual views or entire application hierarchies.

Preauthorized Payments Transformation

Recurring payments now get a unified view within the Wallet app, accessible through the redesigned More menu structure.

Enhanced Merchant Presentation

Before: Only payment network-determined merchant names
Now: Rich branding with custom icons, descriptions, and product imagery

Key Features:

• 5MB package support for comprehensive branding and payment descriptions
• End-to-end encryption between merchants and customer devices
• Proactive notifications for upcoming charges with branded context
• Consolidated management - all recurring payments in one location

Apple Business Connect Integration

Centralized brand management across Apple's ecosystem through business registration:

• Consistent presentation across Maps, Mail, Wallet, and other system apps
• Apple verification required for all business entries
• Automatic brand propagation across relevant services

Intelligent Order Tracking

Apple Intelligence Integration

Automatic order detection from email communications using on-device Apple Intelligence processing.

How it works:

• Converts email orders into trackable Wallet entries automatically
• Links delivery emails to existing orders intelligently
• On-device processing maintains user privacy
• No manual intervention required

Email Optimization for Best Results:

• Include prominent merchant names in email body
• Provide consistent order numbers across communications
• Include tracking information for automatic carrier linking
• Structure content for optimal parsing

Advanced Order Bundles

For merchants needing more than email processing:

• Emailless order updates
• Integrated receipt management
• Return processing capabilities
• Direct app integration through deep linking

FinanceKit API Expansion

UK Market Availability

FinanceKit now available in the UK market using Open Banking standards:

• Same privacy controls as existing markets
• Access to accounts, transactions, and real-time updates
• All data processing remains on-device

Background Delivery Extension

Game-changing capability: Financial apps can now process data changes independently of main app lifecycle.

Key Capabilities:

• Automatic activation when financial data updates occur
• Three data types supported: accounts, account balances, transactions
• Configurable frequencies: hourly, daily, or weekly updates
• Extended processing time for longer intervals

Practical Applications:

• Widget updates as users make purchases
• Automated spending analysis without active app usage
• Real-time financial notifications
• Background report generation

Implementation Requirements:

• Two primary methods: data reception handling and graceful termination
• Strict time constraints require efficient processing
• Consider incremental updates over comprehensive refreshes

Technical Implementation Strategy

Development Priority Order

1. Apple Business Connect Registration - Establish branding foundation
2. Background Delivery Configuration - Select appropriate update frequencies
3. Order Email Optimization - Structure communications for Apple Intelligence
4. Merchant Token Implementation - For enhanced preauthorized payment experience

Performance Considerations

Background Processing:

• Time-limited execution requires efficient algorithms
• Incremental data updates preferred over full refreshes
• Graceful termination handling essential for data integrity

Privacy and Security:

• End-to-end encryption for merchant token information
• On-device processing for financial data and Apple Intelligence
• No external data transmission for sensitive operations

Strategic Implications

New Opportunities

For Financial Apps:

• Sophisticated financial management tools now possible
• Real-time spending analytics without user interaction
• Automated budgeting applications with background processing

For Merchants:

• Enhanced brand presentation in recurring payment flows
• Improved customer engagement through rich payment information
• Streamlined order tracking with minimal development overhead

Migration Planning

Immediate Benefits:

• Dynamic Apple Pay buttons activate automatically
• Order tracking improvements require minimal changes
• Apple Business Connect registration provides immediate branding benefits

Strategic Investments:

• Background delivery extensions enable new application categories
• Enhanced merchant token implementation improves customer experience
• UK market expansion creates new user acquisition opportunities

Key Takeaways

For Development Teams:

• Automatic improvements require minimal development effort
• Background processing opens entirely new application possibilities
• Branding consistency across Apple ecosystem through single registration
• Privacy-first approach maintained across all new features

For Business Strategy:

• Enhanced customer experience through improved visual presentation
• Reduced support burden via intelligent order tracking
• New market opportunities through FinanceKit UK expansion
• Competitive advantages through advanced background processing capabilities

The combination of improved visual experiences, intelligent automation, and powerful background processing creates foundations for next-generation financial applications while maintaining Apple's commitment to user privacy and security.