SAN FRANCISCO – In some circles, Apple Pay is being heralded as an answer to the all-too-frequent incidents of retailer data breaches, as it uses a completely different — and safer— technology than plastic cards.

Currently, point-of-sale systems include a number of risks while processing credit card transactions, with a number of ways they can be compromised. Near-field communication (NFC) technology, the basis for Apple Pay, enables mobile devices to communicate with POS systems wirelessly, essentially bypassing the risks associated with credit card transactions. While NFC has been around for a while and never widely embraced, putting the Apple name behind the technology could be the differentiating factor this time around.

"It's the most secure combination of technology that we've ever deployed," James Anderson, group head of mobile product development at MasterCard, told Tech Times for a recent article.

But regardless of its name recognition, for Apple Pay to take off, the company will have to make the case that its system is easier, better and faster than plastic cards. Apple has a number of other hurdles to overcome as well. The company lost a lot of consumer faith after its iCloud system was hacked last month, with hundreds of nude photos of celebrities leaked online.

Furthermore, while 220,000 stores are ready to support Apple Pay, adoption of the technology is expected to be slow. Those 220,000 stores really aren't much compared with the number of stores in the United States.

"Expect adoption to be slow," retail consultant Cathy Hotka told Tech Times. "A lot of consumers will have to be convinced that their data will remain protected. With a choice between shaving off a few seconds and having a safer transaction, consumers will choose safety."

To learn more about preparing your business for mobile payments, register for the free Conexxus “Security of Mobile Payments” webinar on October 2, from 12 pm – 1:20 pm EDT.