Having trouble paying with your metal credit card at an Apple Store? A fix is on the way, as Apple reportedly plans to upgrade its retail employees to the new iPhone 16.

Upgrading for Reliability

Apple is transitioning to the iPhone 16 to solve performance headaches with the current iPhone 14-based system. Gurman notes the existing terminals can be "finicky," sometimes failing to process payments from heavy metal credit cards like the American Express Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Dogfooding its Own Tech

This hardware refresh shows Apple’s growing commitment to using its own consumer devices for critical business operations. By replacing dedicated payment terminals with iPhones, the company showcases its Tap to Pay feature while simplifying the tech its retail staff has to carry.

The move continues a transition that began when Apple started phasing out its older Bluetooth credit card readers. The company first launched Tap to Pay on iPhone back in 2022, allowing merchants to accept contactless payments directly on an iPhone without extra hardware.

This move effectively turns Apple's own stores into the ultimate showcase for Tap to Pay, demonstrating its reliability to other major retailers.