Nordstrom Expected to Partner with Apple for Mobile Payments

With the upcoming launch of Apple’s (News - Alert) highly anticipated mobile payment platform, there is a strong chance that the fashion retail giant Nordstrom will be considerably involved. Sources close to Nordstrom say that the two companies have been in talks for a while, although it is unknown just how far they have gotten. The same sources say that the two companies have a contract, but again it is unknown what the specifics of this contract actually are.

Apple was reportedly searching for an established high-end clothing brand to partner with, and Nordstrom is an undoubtedly an attractive possibility, especially considering the large number of physical stores the company operates. Nordstrom has also been noted for their welcoming approach to digital innovation; the department store chain was one of the first to adopt mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminals back in 2012.

A few anonymous employees reported that all of Nordstrom’s store locations recently upgraded their mobile POS terminals with Lightning Pin hardware that allow them to be fully compatible with the latest iPhones. This is in fact the exact same hardware currently found in Apple stores, as of a few months ago. Nordstrom’s previous terminals, which worked with the iPod Touch, used older 30-pin adapter technology that will not work with the latest iPhones. The short length of time between this chain-wide upgrade and the impending launch of the Apple payment platform is indicative of a purposeful link between the two companies.

Apple has been a little behind the crowd when it comes to mobile payment platforms, as there are already several other options in place. The upcoming iPhone (News - Alert) 6 will be the first to include Near Field Communication (NFC), which is essential for that functionality. The company’s platform is expected to officially debut on Sept. 9.