FBI does do something on occasion. I got involved on the periphery of an investigation targeting an eBay seller for selling photos with fraudulent signatures. I didn't get my money back, but I received notices as to what was happening in the case, including notice of the seller's fraud conviction and resulting several year prison sentence.
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Apple Considering Turning iTunes Store Accounts into PayPal Competitor?
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Look, I'm not saying it doesn't have it's problems, I'm am just saying in the 7 or so years I have been using it I have never had a single problem. The friends that have had problem have all done stupid things.
I'm too smart to play in traffic.
I can't see this happening.
I've got posts scattered all over this site throughout the years showcasing just how much I dislike eBay/PayPal and I'd love to see a competitor rise up and give them a run for their money (if not in the auction business, at least in the payment processing business which is exactly what this rumor relates to) but I just don't see Apple being the one to do it.
I had high hopes for Google Checkout, and it's nearly running on empty. If they can't do it with their user base and reputation, I don't think anyone can.
1. Why would people leave PayPal if they've already grown accustomed to using it? Yes, there may be ways for Apple to do this, but it would take much more effort and resources than they probably can afford to give the project.
2. Forget trying to sneak into the auction payment segment of the market. Google tried that and it went nowhere.
3. The big difference between eBay, Google, Western Union and the rest that have tried online payments and Apple is this: while none of those companies actually sell anything, Apple does. There would be direct conflict of interest in some (many?) markets. It doesn't make much sense to enter a new business that you can't fully saturate.
4. This isn't a new mouse or tablet or even phone (which has enough logistical issues of its own) - getting into online payments is nearly as complex as starting a bank. eBay still hasn't fully integrated the PayPal purchase and that happened half a decade ago. There's loads of red tape and government inquiries still floating around that purchase. I don't think Apple can just jump in; the iTunes infrastructure doesn't even give them a fraction of what they'd need to really make a run at this. Some people forget, but eBay had its own PayPal competitor back in the day and even they couldn't compete with PayPal and just purchased them outright.
Now unless Apple plans on purchasing eBay - which they don't even have enough cash to do, believe it or not - I think this is some analyst pipe dream that makes good rumor/gossip mill fodder but will end up going no where...
I've got posts scattered all over this site throughout the years showcasing just how much I dislike eBay/PayPal and I'd love to see a competitor rise up and give them a run for their money (if not in the auction business, at least in the payment processing business which is exactly what this rumor relates to) but I just don't see Apple being the one to do it.
I had high hopes for Google Checkout, and it's nearly running on empty. If they can't do it with their user base and reputation, I don't think anyone can.
1. Why would people leave PayPal if they've already grown accustomed to using it? Yes, there may be ways for Apple to do this, but it would take much more effort and resources than they probably can afford to give the project.
2. Forget trying to sneak into the auction payment segment of the market. Google tried that and it went nowhere.
3. The big difference between eBay, Google, Western Union and the rest that have tried online payments and Apple is this: while none of those companies actually sell anything, Apple does. There would be direct conflict of interest in some (many?) markets. It doesn't make much sense to enter a new business that you can't fully saturate.
4. This isn't a new mouse or tablet or even phone (which has enough logistical issues of its own) - getting into online payments is nearly as complex as starting a bank. eBay still hasn't fully integrated the PayPal purchase and that happened half a decade ago. There's loads of red tape and government inquiries still floating around that purchase. I don't think Apple can just jump in; the iTunes infrastructure doesn't even give them a fraction of what they'd need to really make a run at this. Some people forget, but eBay had its own PayPal competitor back in the day and even they couldn't compete with PayPal and just purchased them outright.
Now unless Apple plans on purchasing eBay - which they don't even have enough cash to do, believe it or not - I think this is some analyst pipe dream that makes good rumor/gossip mill fodder but will end up going no where...
I was thinking the same thing...
Only when I try to pay something with my phone, I get those whacky dial tones and a female voice that says, "I'm sorry, the bill you are trying to pay has been disconnected. Please hang up and pay again!" LOL
Definitely need to sign up for MobileMe... I can't find my wallet, er, my phone...
I deal with 5000+ dollars a month through paypal and over 50 transactions a month.
I have had a few problems but most were from stupid buyers and Paypal is a bit over protective. I'd rather have over protective Paypal than the new Big Brother Apple handling my money.
I have had a few problems but most were from stupid buyers and Paypal is a bit over protective. I'd rather have over protective Paypal than the new Big Brother Apple handling my money.
Do you realize that in order to apply for an Apple job position using their website, you need to provide an AppleID?
Pretty creepy in the implications, although I doubt they'd use your account history to verify/etc.
Hope they do it I cant stand paypal they still owe me money from when I sold my iPhone two months ago.
Rumor makes no sense to me. I don't see where this helps them sell more products. That's what Apple does, they sell products.
Also makes no sense given that Facebook is widely rumored to be working on a payment system to monetize their efforts.
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-payments-should-work-across-the-web-says-zuckerberg-2009-6
Rumor makes no sense to me. I don't see where this helps them sell more products. That's what Apple does, they sell products.
Also makes no sense given that Facebook is widely rumored to be working on a payment system to monetize their efforts.
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-payments-should-work-across-the-web-says-zuckerberg-2009-6
Maybe Apple needs to buy Facebook with their payment system
The rumor is plausible, except the PayPal Competitor part
The right guess was posted on page 2 I think (too lazy to search for it again).
With iPhone OS 3.0 apple introduced in app purchases. This model, however, works for a limited number of purposes: new game levels, software features or e-books/media content which can afford giving away 30% of the price to Apple. There is big demand for enabling different commission rates to make the model feasible for other purchases.
The bottom line: Apple might consider introducing different commission rates for different kind of purchases to generate further interest in building iPhone/iPod applications which utilize them. That fits perfectly to their strategy. It does not mean Apple is entering PayPal business, they just make the iPhone and iPod even more universal.
The right guess was posted on page 2 I think (too lazy to search for it again).
With iPhone OS 3.0 apple introduced in app purchases. This model, however, works for a limited number of purposes: new game levels, software features or e-books/media content which can afford giving away 30% of the price to Apple. There is big demand for enabling different commission rates to make the model feasible for other purchases.
The bottom line: Apple might consider introducing different commission rates for different kind of purchases to generate further interest in building iPhone/iPod applications which utilize them. That fits perfectly to their strategy. It does not mean Apple is entering PayPal business, they just make the iPhone and iPod even more universal.
I think its because of potential anti-trust
By developing a payment system they will be able to link to outside stores for content, still get a bit of the transaction fee and avoid the anti-trust suit that they are headed for by opening up the store in a clever way.
By developing a payment system they will be able to link to outside stores for content, still get a bit of the transaction fee and avoid the anti-trust suit that they are headed for by opening up the store in a clever way.
Maybe Apple needs to buy Facebook with their payment system
Right after they buy Twitter.
I think Apple is making an amazing move
I really hope this is true. I don't think this is just a PayPal thing. Apple wouldn't get into this unless they thought they had a serious offering here.
The next iPhone will have something similar to Mastercard's Tap & Go (or whatever it's called). Apple will use their experience in working with large corporations (with the music labels, tv networks, and movie studios) to come up with a pay service with Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx. Now you've gotten rid of my wallet, and the only thing left to carry is my keys and driver's license.
The Japanese have had something similar in their phones I hear. People will whine that Apple didn't come up with this, not realizing that it doesn't make sense unless you get the credit card companies and some major retailers involved.
I left a comment similar to this on Engadget, yesterday. A better camera? Flash? These are incremental. With the right security and businesses on board, this is a doozy. One payment method for everything from online purchases to candy bars and subway fare.
I really hope this is true. I don't think this is just a PayPal thing. Apple wouldn't get into this unless they thought they had a serious offering here.
The next iPhone will have something similar to Mastercard's Tap & Go (or whatever it's called). Apple will use their experience in working with large corporations (with the music labels, tv networks, and movie studios) to come up with a pay service with Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx. Now you've gotten rid of my wallet, and the only thing left to carry is my keys and driver's license.
The Japanese have had something similar in their phones I hear. People will whine that Apple didn't come up with this, not realizing that it doesn't make sense unless you get the credit card companies and some major retailers involved.
I left a comment similar to this on Engadget, yesterday. A better camera? Flash? These are incremental. With the right security and businesses on board, this is a doozy. One payment method for everything from online purchases to candy bars and subway fare.
While the implications are large, the veracity of the rumor is pretty low... meanwhile, what's the launch of the iTMS in Mexico doing on Page 2?
oh come on!
Really, I'm sorry thats just stupid! I hope there is no truth to this rumor.... So if someone hacks into it you'll get the bill for a ton of music/videos/tv shoes/movies and whatever else... yeah no thank you... just another annoying way to make simple things become more complex.
Really, I'm sorry thats just stupid! I hope there is no truth to this rumor.... So if someone hacks into it you'll get the bill for a ton of music/videos/tv shoes/movies and whatever else... yeah no thank you... just another annoying way to make simple things become more complex.
while the concept is sound --- buyer credit card security, easy tracking of purchases from disparate retailers, arbitration for disputes --- This is probably not something Apple should spend resources on. Google has already tried this with their Google Checkout product and it hasn't seen a lot of growth and is not a serious competitor to PayPal.
The obvious ace-in-the-hole is Apple's enormous volume of existing consumer accounts with payment information already in place, not to mention the ease of use and trust that consumers associate with Apple and the iTunes store. This fact may indeed make the prospect for competing with PayPal far more realistic than for most technology companies.
The obvious ace-in-the-hole is Apple's enormous volume of existing consumer accounts with payment information already in place, not to mention the ease of use and trust that consumers associate with Apple and the iTunes store. This fact may indeed make the prospect for competing with PayPal far more realistic than for most technology companies.
um, have you people thought this through? it sounds like a pretty good idea to me, regardless of whether or not you can use your iphone at the checkout counter. im sure there will be plenty of online merchants that want to develop apps/web pages that are optimized to the iphone/tablet. itunes already has a credit card and a billing address so it would be incredibly simple. i myself cant wait to order a burrito bowl from chipotle from my iphone with just a couple of taps.
