Apple Pay Goes Live for Sparkasse and Commerzbank Customers in Germany

[MacRumors]

Apple Pay came to two additional big banks in Germany today, bringing the digital payment platform to millions more people in the country just over a year since it launched there.

As of this morning, customers of both Sparkasse and Commerzbank can add their Visa and Mastercard credit cards to the Wallet app. The Sparkassen-Karte Basis debit card is also compatible, but support for the Sparkasse giro card is coming later, sometime in 2020.

Apple's mobile payment system allows users to make contactless payments for goods and services in retail stores using their iPhone or Apple Watch.

Apple Pay made its long-awaited debut in Germany back in December 2018 with multiple partners immediately jumping on board, but support from Sparkasse and Commerzebank was conspicuously absent on rollout day. The two banks previously said in June 2019 that Apple Pay support was coming later in the year.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1204317635636281344

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in March that Apple Pay would be available in more than 40 countries and regions by the end of 2019. Apple Pay first launched in the United States in October 2014. You can view the full list of Apple Pay countries and regions on Apple's website.

(Via Macerkopf.de)

Article Link: Apple Pay Goes Live for Sparkasse and Commerzbank Customers in Germany

 

[chfilm]

Wow! I didn’t expect to live and see this! This and the Mac Pro on the same day... am I in heaven?

 

[Jandalf]

Nice. I use Apple Pay since it’s available and really like it!
Although it annoys to be asked everytime wether I have a VISA or MasterCard? Anyone else experiencing this inconvenience?

 

[GastonM]

It's useless anyway since you can't even pay by card in most stores in Germany. They are still living in 1990.

 

[Jandalf]

It's useless anyway since you can't even pay by card in most stores in Germany. They are still living in 1990.

Not true -anymore- from my POV. I‘m close to leaving my wallet at home and only take my phone.... but that’s for Berlin, rural areas may differ...
But you’re right that we still always drag behind... happy that most Apple releases make it in Germany at the same time as in the US by now...

 

[chfilm]

It's useless anyway since you can't even pay by card in most stores in Germany. They are still living in 1990.

Also have to disagree, it's getting better - but what's really annoying that especially smaller gastronomy places / hipster cafés and certain restaurants simply refuse to accept cards. Probably money laundering going on, I have no other explanation for it really.

 

[RickDEGH]

It's useless anyway since you can't even pay by card in most stores in Germany. They are still living in 1990.

Most stores? Come on, man! I live in small city of about 75,000 inhabitants and I use Apple Pay (not even talking of the popular girocard) for most shops and things I buy, except at some Bäckerei, Döner joints, some restaurants and small shops. The situation could be better, but it is not as bleak as you make it seem.

 

[PR1985]

@chfilm I have an explanation: costs. I had no explanation until yesterday. Ask our friends, who have shops or checkout the costs at SumUP.

 

[itsmilo]

It's useless anyway since you can't even pay by card in most stores in Germany. They are still living in 1990.

Not that true anymore. The only troubles I am having is with acceptance under a certain limit at restaurants or something like a bakery.

Any retail store or supermarket nowadays accepts credit cards and whatnot

 

[FischerPlötz]

It's useless anyway since you can't even pay by card in most stores in Germany. They are still living in 1990.

“EC” works almost everywhere. Maybe you’re still living in 1990. Kidding aside and certainly no offense, I have a much different experience here in Germany and use my Apple Pay with my Deutsche Bank. Just never thought Sparkasse would go this route.

 

[chfilm]

@chfilm I have an explanation: costs. I had no explanation until yesterday. Ask our friends, who have shops or checkout the costs at SumUP.

0,9% or 1,9% per payment. Cmon, they can just add this to the prices and forget about it.

 

[nicho]

@chfilm I have an explanation: costs. I had no explanation until yesterday. Ask our friends, who have shops or checkout the costs at SumUP.

A middle-ground explanation would be taxation. I dunno about the German tax system, but in the UK this was definitely a factor behind certain types of restaurants being very slow on the uptake of card payments compared to other businesses. Much easier to turn a profit when you're paying your workers cash in hand on income that you don't declare or pay tax on.

 

[mdellepi]

It's useless anyway since you can't even pay by card in most stores in Germany. They are still living in 1990.

As others wrote, the situation is much better nowadays. All supermarket chains support Apple Pay. All big shops I've visited in the last year do. I even use Apple Pay to buy tickets on the tram. Some small shops and most restaurants are the only exception so far (but they anyway accept EC).

 

[dankedieter]

As an American living in Germany, I've gotten used to most places not accepting cards. Not the end of the world. Don't really like having the credit card companies knowing every purchase I make anyways.

 

[Janschi]

@chfilm I have an explanation: costs. I had no explanation until yesterday. Ask our friends, who have shops or checkout the costs at SumUP.

this is wrong. Handling Cash is more expensive than accepting card. The owners of the shops are just to dumb to realize that.

 

[iPhysicist]

Most stores? Come on, man! I live in small city of about 75,000 inhabitants and I use Apple Pay (not even talking of the popular girocard) for most shops and things I buy, except at some Bäckerei, Döner joints, some restaurants and small shops. The situation could be better, but it is not as bleak as you make it seem.

Bakeries will even grunge at Bank notes. They love hard coins.

 

[PR1985]

0,9% or 1,9% per payment. Cmon, they can just add this to the prices and forget about it.

I had Italy in mind...
https://sumup.it/costo-pos-commissioni/

 

[whyamihere]

I can't believe it's been in Germany for a year already. Seems just like yesterday every new country to launch Apple Pay was met with the mandatory "but what about Germany" posts.