Apple Pay

[jeffkinn]

It looks highly likely that Apple Pay is coming to Britain soon and it's likely to be announced at tomorrow evening's WWDC keynote presentation.

Do we think that Apple Pay will finally shake up the mobile phone contactless payment market?

Would you use it if and when it comes here? (Non Apple users can answer as well).

How will this affect the Vodafone offering which has a number of restrictions?

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi,

I've been following posts from our cousins across the pond on MacRumours and theirs certainly been a mixed bag of experiences with Apple Pay.

I think  thought it would take off faster than it did and expected more outlets / businesses to come on board faster than they did.

I once tried a contact less payment by my visa debit card and the shop employee gave me a funny look and had no idea on how it worked or how to check their equipment was turned on or how to check on her till !

Employee training should come into play I hear you say but from the posts on other forums of failed or poor experiences it's an all too common factor.

I submit with new technology we must expect hiccups.

Exciting times.

[jeffkinn]

I use contactless payment with my debit card a lot and also the Vodafone smart wallet tag. I'd definitely use Apple Pay if and when it becomes available.

[BandOfBrothers]

I concur.

I'll be giving it a whirl to see how the feature performs as and when.

Wonder when I'll see the first person with an iWatch paying this way. 😎

[jeffkinn]

Ooohh be careful

Apple Watch not iWatch.

I haven't yet got around to using my phone to check in on flights. I fly Easyjet from time to time on business and they have a great app. Also it's integrated with Passbook. One day I'll try it.

[BandOfBrothers]

Whoops slip of the tongue there.

Quite correct.

 Watch.

😉

[jeffkinn]

I'll get a smart watch eventually I'm sure, but not yet.

[BandOfBrothers]

I've visited my local  store a few times and toyed with the different models on offer (not the gold one 😁) and I can see how they can be useful.

I've yet to see anyone talking into theirs like Michael Knight to Kitt from Knighrider ! 😉

What they can do is interesting and useful.

Problem for me is I get 200+ approx emails and notifications a day and I work in an environment that isn't really going to do any smartwatch any good.

Will I get one ? Hmmmm.

Introduction of Apple pay could help to sway it.

[hrym]

Contactless payment seems to have stalled a bit recently.   There was a point late last year when newspaper financial page articles started to be about "how to get a contactless card" rather than "how not to have one".  I found a Costa coffee shop that took contactless a couple of weeks ago, so it seems they've moved over, but you're still more likely to get a blank look than a positive answer, especially outside major conurbations.

I live in hope that Apple Pay will give it the traction it needs and I'm pretty sure Google and PayPal are in there as well.   Public acceptance seems to be coming round, but it's odd that none of the majors has broken ranks yet.   Is it a security matter or is there some kind of resitance to having another, non-major, card?

[jeffkinn]

Pret a Manger and Eat, both very prolific sandwich shops in central London, accept contactless payments as does and MS Simply Foods that I go to in Southwark near one of my clients. I never get a blank look and thus I assume that lots of people are now using contactless in London.

And of course the Tube makes a big deal about contactless making it even more visible.

I read that London Underground is already accepting Apple Pay for US tourists so any announcement to bring it to the UK would almost certainly include the Tube and that will very much hasten it's acceptance. I look around a lot at the people I share a train with (often then are literally in my face) and iPhones very much dominate the smartphone space.