iOS 8.1 Beta 1 Now Available For Developers Includes Apple Pay

Hot off the release of the iOS 8.0.2 update, Apple has released the first developer beta of iOS 8.1. The beta is presumably focuses on bug fixes and feature improvements to iOS. iOS 8.1 beta 1 software is limited to those registered with the official Apple Developer Program. Registered developers can log into the iOS Dev Center and find the appropriate IPSW files to update their test devices with. iOS 8.1 beta will run on all iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices that are capable of running iOS 8. A hidden settings pane for Apple Pay has been discovered inside the beta. The pane will allow users to manage their entered credit and debit cards linked to Apple Pay, as well as define their default card, billing and shipping address, email, and phone associated with the card. Apple Pay will allow users to easily authenticate payments to their preferred credit and debit cards, using NFC for point of sale transactions with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and Apple Watch while also allowing for Touch ID-based authentication of purchase transactions in apps supporting Apple Pay. Apple has announced that Apple Pay will be launching in October, and iOS 8.1 is likely to be the update carrying the support for Apple Pay. While Apple has so far only announced that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and Apple Watch will be compatible with Apple Pay, evidence in the beta suggesting next generation iPad models will include Touch ID support meaning  Apple Pay could make it way to iPads. An image of what the Apple Pay pane looks like can be seen above.