Tough talks may keep Apple Pay out of Germany until 'fall or winter'

Negotiations are in a tough state, iPhone-ticker.de said on Friday, citing word out of "corporate circles." As with Apple Pay talks in some other countries, the main issue is thought to be the fees Apple claims from each transaction, which dip into bank profits.

Germany has been a conspicuous gap for Apple, even though the country is still often cash-driven at retail.

Apple Pay is currently available in 15 markets, the latest addition being Taiwan, which joined in March. While the service has expanded rapidly, the process has been smoother in some countries than others — in Australia, for example, some banks are fighting for access to Apple's NFC technology in the hopes of using it for their own payment systems.

Some deals with banks and card issuers are already up for renewal. Apple may have to tread carefully to avoid losing partners — at the same time, Apple Pay is one of the most popular mobile payment methods, and removing access could anger card customers.

Italy has been rumored has one of the company's next expansion targets. Indeed going to an Asia-Pacific support page displays a thumbnail with Italy as a supported region — the country is otherwise unlisted.