Apple Pay Express Mode Arrives in Greater Manchester, Pioneering UK Transit Innovation
Greater Manchester commuters can now experience a faster, more convenient way to pay for public transport thanks to the arrival of Apple Pay‘s Express Mode on the Bee Network. The new functionality, launched this week, allows passengers to seamlessly tap their iPhone or apple Watch to pay for bus and tram travel without needing to unlock their device or authenticate with Face ID or a passcode.
This rollout marks a notable milestone, representing the first implementation of Express Mode on an integrated public transport system in the UK outside of London. according to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the launch builds upon the success of the network’s contactless “tap and go” system, which has already facilitated over one million contactless journeys each week.
Introduced initially in London in 2019, Apple Pay’s Express Mode streamlines the payment process for public transit. A company release explained that the feature is designed for speed, enabling rapid contactless transactions that bypass the usual biometric or passcode verification required for standard Apple Pay purchases.Notably, the system also functions even when an iPhone is in Power Reserve mode, allowing for several hours of continued use even with a critically low battery.
Users can easily configure their preferred debit or credit card for Express Mode within the Apple Wallet app under “Express Travel Settings.” Onc enabled, payment is as simple as holding the device near a card reader. For the majority of users, the card already designated as the default in Apple Wallet will automatically be assigned to Express Mode, though this setting can be modified at any time thru the iPhone’s settings menu.
Express mode is already widely available in major cities globally, including New York, Beijing, Tokyo, and Sydney, demonstrating it’s growing adoption as a standard for modern public transit systems.
Elsewhere in the Apple ecosystem, development continues at a rapid pace. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is developing an all-new operating system, codenamed “Charismatic,” likely to be the long-rumored “homeOS.” Gurman indicated that both Apple’s anticipated smart home hub in 2026 and a tabletop robot slated for 2027 will run on this new platform.
Recent software updates have also revealed insights into Apple’s future plans. A software tool briefly released and subsequently pulled by Apple contained identifiers for unreleased devices and chips, including new models of the Studio Display, apple TV, Apple watches, Apple Vision Pro, iPad mini, and HomePod mini, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The seventh developer beta of iOS 26 includes a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature for the Apple Watch Series 9.
Looking ahead to hardware, alleged images of the iPhone 17 pro Max’s internal design have surfaced, hinting at a potential metal battery. Additionally, reports suggest Apple may delay the launch of the base iPhone 18 model
Analysis & Expanded Report:
Why: Apple is expanding its contactless payment options to improve convenience and speed for public transit users. Concurrently, Apple continues to innovate across its product lines, developing new operating systems and hardware.
Who: The key players are Apple, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), commuters in Greater Manchester, and industry analysts like Mark Gurman and Aaron Perris.
What: Apple Pay Express Mode has launched on the bee Network in Greater Manchester, marking the first UK implementation outside of London. Apple is also developing a new operating system (“Charismatic”) for future smart home devices and robots, and is working on updates to existing products like the Apple Watch and iPhone. A potential future Apple Watch model is rumored to feature eight sensors in a ring pattern
