Apple Partnering With Sony to Bring Apple Pay to Japan

[MacRumors]

Apple is partnering with Sony to bring its Apple Pay payments service to Japan, reports Japanese news site Nikkei. As has been previously rumored, Apple will make future versions of the iPhone compatible with Sony's FeliCa technology to allow Japanese citizens to use Apple Pay for contactless payments at FeliCa-compatible terminals.

FeliCa is Sony's tap-to-pay format, which has been widely adopted in Japan. It's used to access the country's railway and bus system, and it's able to store e-money that can be used at vending machines, cafes, and other locations equipped with FeliCa systems. FeliCa is able to process transactions in a fraction of a second, making it suitable for use in a fast-paced transit environment.

Users will also be able to store train tickets on their iPhones, letting them enter gates with a wave. Other proposed uses for the technology include integrating membership cards and replacing security key cards. Apple's foray into Japanese smartphone payment services will promote broader adoption of compatible terminals at retailers and event venues. Foreign travelers may be able to use foreign iPhones to make payments as well.

The new iPhone is expected to be equipped with the technology needed to allow it to interface with FeliCa payment terminals, but according to Nikkei, Apple Pay is not likely to launch until Japan until next year. Instead, a gradual rollout is expected.

Apple still needs to negotiate fees with financial institutions in Japan and establish deals with retailers and service providers that use the FeliCa readers, a process that will take some time.

Apple Pay is currently available in nine countries including the United States, United Kingdom, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong, France, and Singapore. Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey has said Apple is "working rapidly" to expand the service to additional countries in Asia and Europe.

Article Link: Apple Partnering With Sony to Bring Apple Pay to Japan

 

[gim]

Bring it to Germany already!

 

[Amorie]

bye Felicia!

 

[djcerla]

Machiavellian, like the CDMA iPhone "Verizon Edition".

 

[JaJaWa]

Octopus technology for use in Hong Kong next?

 

[blacktape242]

bring it to the US in MORE places please....

 

[BruiserB]

So is this actually a special version of the phone as was originally reported, or will it be in iPhones, but only function in Japan?

 

[Böhme417]

PLEASE bring this to all iPhones and not just the ones destined for Japan.

 

[Mactendo]

Octopus technology for use in Hong Kong next?

What's this?

 

[myscrnnm]

What's this?

The technology used in Octopus cards is actually the same as FeLiCa. It's a 13.56MHz RFID chip. The main difference is that the Octopus card can be used as a bus card for Hong Kong's MTR.

 

[Rigby]

Octopus technology for use in Hong Kong next?

Support for the Clipper card in the SF Bay Area would be nice too ...

The Oyster system in London is great. It already works with Apple Pay (and other contactless payment cards), and gets all the benefits of a physical Oyster card (daily/weekly fare capping etc.).

 

[ksnell]

Very interested in the use of Apple Wallet for security key cards at work, gym, etc.

That would be huge.

 

[Ihatefall]

The technology used in Octopus cards is actually the same as FeLiCa. It's a 13.56MHz RFID chip. The main difference is that the Octopus card can be used as a bus card for Hong Kong's MTR.

How is that any different from it being used for Japan's transit system? (I.e. Pasmo, Suica, Ioica, etc etc)

 

[Small White Car]

I've always said that the Apple Watch would be a 'must-buy' for me the day I can configure it to store my metro card, my Hilton room key, and my Disney Fast Pass.

Apple Pay needs to move behind 'Pay' if it wants to conquer the world.

 

[ExtraordinEric]

bye Felicia!

You mean Buy FeliCA!

 

[Amorie]

hehe true.

 

[mtneer]

Has Sony given up the cell phone market? I thought they were a manufacturer not too long ago.

 

[AirunJae]

I think y'all mean, "Hi FeLiCa!"

 

[goomba478]

Every time I see "FeliCa" and Japan I read it as "Felicia".

 

[mrr]

My SONY branded CapitolOne VISA card still does _NOT_ work with ApplePay! Boo..

 

[hiroden]

My SONY branded CapitolOne VISA card still does _NOT_ work with ApplePay! Boo..

It's more like CapitalOne not working with Apple.

 

[Rigby]

Has Sony given up the cell phone market? I thought they were a manufacturer not too long ago.

It's more a case of Apple adjusting to the Japanese market to get a foot on the ground with Apple Pay. FeliCa is the de facto contactless standard there, while the rest of the world is using NFC-A/B. Mobile phones with FeliCa support have been around for more than 10 years in Japan (sometimes in combination with a special "FeliCA SIM" which plays the role of the Secure Element that Apple uses for Apple Pay).

 

[Twimfy]

Very interested in the use of Apple Wallet for security key cards at work, gym, etc.

That would be huge.

Completely agree, also store and loyalty cards. The magic of using my watch is ruined when I got to go through several cards in my wallet to find a loyalty card.

 

[hiroden]

Has Sony given up the cell phone market? I thought they were a manufacturer not too long ago.

Sony is not giving up the smartphone market but scaled back.

 

[a0me]

PLEASE bring this to all iPhones and not just the ones destined for Japan.

The article says "Foreign travelers may be able to use foreign iPhones to make payments as well," so I guess this will be implemented in all new iPhone models.