The eMarketer team credited the change of leadership to the growing ubiquity of NFC payment terminals, particularly in common shopping destinations like grocery stores -- you're more likely to use Apple Pay if your local shop supports it. As omnipresent as Starbucks is in American culture, it's only one retailer.

As for Apple's reported edge over rivals? Analysts pinned that on the divided nature of Android tap-to-pay features. Google and Samsung "split the market." They're collectively strong, but no one of them is big enough to compare to Apple's service. Don't expect them to overtake Apple Pay any time soon, then, even if tap-to-pay is ultimately just as popular.