An upcoming update to Apple Wallet will allow iPhone users to take a photo of a receipt, divide items among friends and family, and create payment requests.
In the case of a restaurant check, the new tool can calculate each diner’s share of the bill, including tax and tip. Once the amounts are determined, payment requests can be sent via Apple Cash, Apple’s peer-to-peer (P2P) payment service
Splitting expenses for rent, events, and dining out has become a common use case for P2P services such as Zelle and Venmo. As consumers rely on cash, digital payment tools can offer more efficient way to manage shared expenses.
Adding a streamlined bill-splitting feature strengthens Apple’s position in the P2P payments market and reflects the company’s broader ambitions in financial services.
A Challenging P2P Market
While Apple has an established presence in payments, gaining share in the P2P market may prove challenging. Zelle remains the dominant player, aided by its deep integrations with financial institutions that allow users to send money directly through online or mobile banking platforms without requiring a separate app.
Meanwhile, Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App have expanded well beyond P2P payments and continue to improve their user experiences. For example, Cash App recently introduced payment links that can be shared via text message, email, or chat, making it easier for users to collect and split payments.
The Cumulative Effect
Although established players continue to dominate the P2P space, Apple may benefit from the widespread adoption of the iPhone and the convenience of integrating payments directly into Apple Wallet.
The check-splitting feature could go live as soon as next week with the release of iOS 27 release, but it is not the only payments-related update coming to Apple Wallet. Apple is also expected to let users digitize previously unsupported tickets, passes, and gift cards and store them in the mobile wallet.
As Apple continues to expand Wallet’s capabilities, the cumulative effect of these additions could encourage more users to manage payments, tickets, and other financial activities within the Apple ecosytem.
