Apple hits out at Australian banks over Apple Pay boycott motive

Sydney

APPLE Inc has stepped up its battle with Australia's banking industry over the future of mobile payments, accusing an industry consortium of attempting to "delay or even block" the expansion of Apple Pay into the country.

In its latest submission to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), published on Monday, Apple said that it was concerned that banks are seeking to "delay the expansion of Apple Pay" hurting both consumers and smaller card issuers who could use the technology "as a means of securing a digital presence in competition with the big banks".