Apple's version of Venmo won't be available until later this year
Apple's big iOS 11 update is about to drop, but one of its most exciting new features won't be available right away.
The company's new peer-to-peer payments feature, which lets you exchange money through Apple's Messages app, won't launch until later this year, Apple confirmed in a statement on Monday.
Apple didn't say exactly when it would be ready, only that it would be available "this fall" through a separate iOS 11 update. iOS 11 is due to come out of beta with its official public release slated for Tuesday, Sept. 19. The company has previously waited to release new features until after a new version of iOS launches.
First introduced at WWDC earlier this year, Apple's new payments system is one of the few iOS 11 features we have yet to see in action. Though we got a brief taste of the payments during the WWDC keynote, it hasn't been part of the developer or public betas for iOS 11.
Once it does launch, the feature will be integrated into the Messages app via Apple Pay. You can ask Siri to pay someone or use the new "Apple Pay" feature in iMessage. The money will automatically be taken out of the cards linked to your Apple Wallet. If you're on the receiving end of one of these transactions, the money will be added to an "Apple Pay Cash card," which is also added to your Apple Wallet.
It's not the only iOS 11 feature that won't be ready as soon as iOS 11 drops. Apple Maps new indoor navigation features, which help people navigate indoor spaces like airports and shopping malls, will also be launching in later update, Apple said.
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
