Apple launches payments service in Germany

FRANKFURT, Dec 11 (Reuters): Apple has launched its mobile payments service in Germany, four years after its start in the United States and trailing Google, which started its payments app in the country in June.

Customers at banks such as Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank unit Comdirect, Hypovereinsbank, Wirecard, Hanseatic Bank and of credit card providers Mastercard, Visa and American Express will from Tuesday be able to use Apple's Boon app, the companies said in separate statements.

Retailers such as discounters Aldi and Lidl, supermarket chain Kaufland, drugstores Rossmann and DM, department store chain Kaufhof, clothing retailers H&M, Esprit, C&A and Zara as well as consumer electronics chain MediaMarkt will accept payment with the app, which allows customers to pay contactless by holding their smartphone in front of a payment terminal.