Apple added loyalty card support to Apple Pay in iOS 9, and now Walgreens is the first retailer to get on board. That means Walgreens customers can use their loyalty card in stores from their iPhone just like they do for credit card payments.
Walgreens adds Balance Rewards loyalty card support for Apple Pay
Instead of requiring customers to scan a barcode from a card or from Apple's Wallet (formerly Passcode) app, they simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch close to the point of sale card reader.
Walgreens president of digital and chief marketing officer Sona Chawla said, "We're excited to be the first to provide our customers with increased ease of access to their Balance Rewards account and information when using Apple Pay. This offering supports our commitment to removing friction and enabling a simple and convenient customer experience."
Walgreens customers will need an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, or 6s Plus running iOS 9, or an Apple Watch running watchOS 2 to take advantage of Walgreens Apple Pay loyalty card support.
With Walgreens on board, other retailers can't be far behind. If so, we may finally be able to ditch at least a few of the loyalty cards packed in our wallets.