Apple Pay Will Reportedly Launch in Germany This Week, Possibly Tomorrow

[krause734]

I just don't see the big deal. Maybe it will catch on. I don't go anywhere that takes Apple Pay. I also don't want to whip out my phone all the time and risk dropping it nor do I always take my phone when I go to the store. Swiping or inserting my card is pretty painless.

 

[chfilm]

It’s really crazy especially in Berlin, how many places just outright refuse to accept cards of any sort!!
Like cafés, bars, clubs and even some restaurants. But I’ll still celebrate paying with my watch in REWE

 

[Baumi]

I just don't see the big deal. Maybe it will catch on. I don't go anywhere that takes Apple Pay. I also don't want to whip out my phone all the time and risk dropping it nor do I always take my phone when I go to the store. Swiping or inserting my card is pretty painless.

I'm looking forward to using it with the Apple Watch. Especially in winter time, it should be much faster to hold my wrist next to the terminal than to fumble out my wallet (which is usually in an inner pocket of my coat), take out the card, and put everything back after paying.

 

[vinzb]

I just don't see the big deal. Maybe it will catch on. I don't go anywhere that takes Apple Pay. I also don't want to whip out my phone all the time and risk dropping it nor do I always take my phone when I go to the store. Swiping or inserting my card is pretty painless.

As far as I understood is, that you can use AP everywhere where they accept contactless payment.

But tbh, I hope AP will be the next step to a cashless life for people who want it

 

[ipedro]

Only took 4 years. A tad bit ridiculous.

Can´t believe it took this long to launch in Germany

Well, that didn't take long. Just 4 years and counting

Here’s your answer:

In Germany you can’t even pay with a credit card in most places..

Don’t blame Apple if your country is still cash based.

 

[827538]

I'm shocked it's taken this long in Germany. I travel there regularly and it's pretty odd just how behind certain things are for such a developed country.

Even my best friends (who are German comment on how they seem to be last in getting everything). They seem to be really behind in high speed low cost internet in many places, as well as having quite expensive SIM costs.

Still, at least their banking system isn't as archaic as the USA. Moving from the UK to the US felt like going back two decades. I've actually seen people write checks in a supermarket - I don't even know how to use a check. For the home of Apple it surprised me at how few places accept Apple pay still compared to the UK.

I realize this is about Germany but can some Americans explain why it is such a cluster **** whenever you try to pay. Are you supposed to swipe, insert, tap? Am I supposed to enter my PIN, my ZIP, my signature? Then select debit or credit?
Like jesus, it doesn't need to be this ****ing infuriating to pay for something. It makes me just want to buy off of Amazon more just to avoid such a painful experience.

 

[Packers1958]

I'm shocked it's taken this long in Germany. I travel there regularly and it's pretty odd just how behind certain things are for such a developed country.

Even my best friends (who are German comment on how they seem to be last in getting everything). They seem to be really behind in high speed low cost internet in many places, as well as having quite expensive SIM costs.

Still, at least their banking system isn't as archaic as the USA. Moving from the UK to the US felt like going back two decades. I've actually seen people write checks in a supermarket - I don't even know how to use a check. For the home of Apple it surprised me at how few places accept Apple pay still compared to the UK.

I realize this is about Germany but can some Americans explain why it is such a cluster **** whenever you try to pay. Are you supposed to swipe, insert, tap? Am I supposed to enter my PIN, my ZIP, my signature? Then select debit or credit?
Like jesus, it doesn't need to be this ****ing infuriating to pay for something. It makes me just want to buy off of Amazon more just to avoid such a painful experience.

I don't know what part of the US you live in, but I just insert and enter pin. Or I use my iPhone. It's pretty simple.

 

[827538]

I don't know what part of the US you live in, but I just insert and enter pin. Or I use my iPhone. It's pretty simple.

It happens all the time, I insert my card and they say 'oh no you need to swipe'. Why? Also why do I need to sign for stuff all the time? A PIN is meant to replace that. In the UK you only insert and type in PIN or you use contactless.
I live in one of the wealthiest cities in the US, so it's not like it's some backwater truck stop.

 

[tmiw]

I realize this is about Germany but can some Americans explain why it is such a cluster **** whenever you try to pay. Are you supposed to swipe, insert, tap? Am I supposed to enter my PIN, my ZIP, my signature? Then select debit or credit?
Like jesus, it doesn't need to be this ****ing infuriating to pay for something. It makes me just want to buy off of Amazon more just to avoid such a painful experience.

A lot of stores actually hate cards and would rather you paid with any other method, even cash if necessary. I'm surprised surcharging and minimums aren't more common, but I guess decades of not having either makes it hard to impose them now.

 

[Äpfelchen]

They seem to be really behind in high speed low cost internet in many places

True, however where we _really_ shine is in our high cost low speed internet.

 

[citysnaps]

It took them long enough. I'm looking forward to it!

Yeah... the German banking industry sure let it drag on and on.

 

[tommysiamese]

I know I posted this on every Apple pay related news, but I really do want to use it.

Apple Pay in Thailand soon, please!!!
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Still, at least their banking system isn't as archaic as the USA. Moving from the UK to the US felt like going back two decades. I've actually seen people write checks in a supermarket - I don't even know how to use a check. For the home of Apple it surprised me at how few places accept Apple pay still compared to the UK.

Yes. I saw many times in supermarket (in Florida and Chicago) that people paid by checks for groceries! I was surprised too, then.

 

[Jmausmuc]

Good luck with this. Germany is still very much a cash-based country, as I discovered when spending 2 months in Berlin this summer. Wanna pay for lunch with a credit card? Nein! Many restaurants simply don't accept credit card. It's kind of shocking actually.

Also, in the off chance they do support contactless payments, the brand/make of terminal that most places use is so wretchedly awful you'll just default to cash to avoid the hassle.

Not even true.
It’s true that some places still only accept cash (even though it is very very cheap to accept debit and credit cards now).
What you are saying about the payment terminals though, is completely wrong. I haven’t been to a place that did not accept wireless payment in years. I have been paying for absolutely everything with my wireless visa for 2 years. The only exception are places that do not accept cards at all.

 

[fairuz]

I just don't see the big deal. Maybe it will catch on. I don't go anywhere that takes Apple Pay. I also don't want to whip out my phone all the time and risk dropping it nor do I always take my phone when I go to the store. Swiping or inserting my card is pretty painless.

Apple Pay is pointless for real-life payments but good for apps on your phone that need payment info, like Uber. It used to be so cumbersome to set up payment for every app that needed it.

I also use it in the few gas stations that accept it because they're known to be targets for criminals installing skimmers.