Apple released iOS 11.2 early in order to address a serious date bug that was affecting some users on December 2, and while the update introduced Apple Pay Cash, the feature was not yet activated by Apple.

Because it wasn't activated, Apple Pay Cash was not usable, despite being listed as a feature in the update's release notes. Apple today made Apple Pay Cash officially available in the United States, so it can be used by all iPhone and iPad owners who have iOS 11.2 installed. Apple Pay Cash is just now rolling out, so it may take a bit of time before it's fully functional and available for everyone.

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Apple Pay Cash is Apple's new peer-to-peer payments service, designed to allow for quick person-to-person money transfers, much like Square Cash or Venmo. The service is currently limited to the United States.

Using Apple Pay Cash, you can send and receive money through iMessage conversations using the Messages app. Cash is sent from a linked debit or credit card, while received cash is stored in an Apple Pay Cash card in the Wallet app and can be used for purchases or transferred to a bank account. For more on Apple Pay Cash, make sure to check out our how to.

Apple Pay Cash will also be available on the Apple Watch once watchOS 4.2 has been installed, and we're expecting to see watchOS 4.2 later this week.