If you do not have credit card or money in the bank, BTC is better than Apple Pay.
If this situation applies to you then you will likely not have money to buy bitcoin in the first place. Generally speaking people without money in the bank have very little money/assets in the first place, and the marginal benefits of bitcoin would be very little to these people
EDIT: as mentioned above, it is a good point that if you do not have money in the bank you will likely not have the means to buy an iPhone in the first place
But one of the best things about Bitcoins is that you can work for them online, or sell things for them online. There is a a more clean-cut way of getting Bitcoins than trying to buy them straight out. My first Bitcoins (besides the minuscule amount of Satoshi from faucets) were from a graphic design job on here.
I found Bitcoins to be a lot easier to get then fiat money. Of course I needed internet first to find people who will pay in Bitcoins. But internet is a lot cheaper than an iPhone/service plan.
If someone doesn't want to use a credit card for personal reasons, or doesn't have money in the bank, but can work for Bitcoins, or sell products for Bitcoins, they are much easier to use.
As far as comparing them, I agree that Bitcoins are a currency and Apple Pay is not and it is silly to compare them in that light.