According to the latest reports, Apple iOS 16 brings some new features to Apple Pay, including payment APIs for CarPlay apps, order tracking for wallet apps, and more. Right now, Apple seems to have been making some other changes, judging by iOS 16 beta 3 hinting at support for virtual cards in Safari for online shopping.
9to5Mac found in the internal code of iOS 16 beta 3 that Apple has been working on a new system that integrates virtual cards with the Safari browser to improve the security of online shopping.
For those unfamiliar with shopping sites, some banks and credit card providers offer virtual cards that support the option to generate a one-time alternative number for a credit or debit card. If a user’s card data is compromised, the virtual card number can be cancelled without having to apply for a new card from the bank.
According to code from the latest beta version of iOS 16, Safari will finally support virtual card numbers. Currently, Apple Pay already provides a security number for every transaction, but this new feature will work on sites that don’t accept Apple Pay.
The code content is as follows:
- Make this card available in Safari AutoFill and hide your real card number when shopping online.
- Keep using your card. It’s now available in Safari AutoFill, hiding your real card information when shopping online.
- For added security, the site will now use a virtual card number and can be used in Safari AutoFill.
The feature appears to be similar to what Google introduced in Android 13. At this time, it is unclear whether this feature will be available to everyone, and whether it will require support from banks and card providers.
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