Apple Sued for Blocking Tap-to-Pay Competitors on iPhone

[Treq]

damn, you never travel out of town?

Sure I do. I work in the film business. I’m always traveling to different locations for shooting. But on the weekends, If I don’t need to get in the car, I don’t. I certainly wouldn’t travel 45 min to shop at a Walmart when there are several better options only blocks away. The only reason to travel out of town for shopping would be if there was something special I couldn’t get anywhere else… and Walmart, as I recall, is the opposite of special. Also they are rare enough in the Los Angeles area that I hadn’t come across one in many years.

 

[webkit]

I didn‘t even know Walmart still existed. I haven’t seen one in probably 10 years.

Also they are rare enough in the Los Angeles area that I hadn’t come across one in many years.

I can sort of understand not seeing one in years (although there appears to be around 30 Walmart stores within 25 miles of Los Angeles and around a dozen within 25 miles of Santa Monica) but not knowing Walmart still existed is pretty surprising given that, for better or worse, it was by far the largest retailer in the U.S. in 2021.

 

[Treq]

I can sort of understand not seeing one in years (although there appears to be around 30 Walmart stores within 25 miles of Los Angeles and around a dozen within 25 miles of Santa Monica) but not knowing Walmart still existed is pretty surprising given that, for better or worse, it was by far the largest retailer in the U.S. in 2021.

Well, I looked at the map and apparently they are all in surrounding areas. Making a huge u-shaped dead zone for miles around one of the most populated cities in the country. There are plenty of options for shopping that I would have to pass and spend an hour and a half round trip to shop at one. Walmart may be big in places like Florida where there is little else for shopping options, but in Los Angeles, they simply aren't even on my radar. Never really shopped at them much even when I knew they existed, without them being anywhere I would come across one, how could it be surprising for me to not know of their continued existence. I don't watch commercials, I don't see targeted ads and if I did they probably wouldn't target me as a potential Walmart customer. Seriously, I just figured they would have been put out of business by Amazon by now like a lot of retail.
Edit to add: I just wanted to add that I find it much more surprising than Walmart existing, that Walmart-pay still exists and that someone uses it.

 

[Johns12]

Edit to add: I just wanted to add that I find it much more surprising than Walmart existing, that Walmart-pay still exists and that someone uses it.

Since Walmart is the largest retailer in the country, that must means they have a LOT of customers. Even if only half of them used Walmart-Pay it would be a lot of people. I don't use it, but I understand there are deals to had with it's usage. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Treq]

Since Walmart is the largest retailer in the country, that must means they have a LOT of customers. Even if only half of them used Walmart-Pay it would be a lot of people. I don't use it, but I understand there are deals to had with it's usage. Different strokes for different folks.

Well, I remember when they were developing it at the time they were announcing Apple Pay, and it's system seemed pretty cumbersome and inconvenient compared to using a credit card, tap to pay system, Apple Pay or just good old cash. Honestly didn't think it or any of the similar systems would last that long. Apple Pay on the other hand is fantastic. I can leave the house with nothing but the clothes on my back and my Apple Watch and purchase at almost any retailer I come across. No phone, no wallet, no car keys or even that annoying keychain scanning thing some stores give you. Of course none of those retailers are Walmart as they just aren't in the Los Angeles area. Only in the surrounding areas which would be inconvenient for me to travel to. As for them being the largest retailer in the country, that surprises me. I would have thought Amazon would have destroyed them years ago. Amazon has a larger selection of the same cheap crap and they will bring it to your door... a lot of the time the same day as you ordered it. I guess what keeps them hanging on is that fact that, in many small towns, they simply destroyed all the competition leaving residents no other choice but to shop there... and older people who don't like using the internet. All I know is I haven't seen one in a long time.

 

[Johns12]

Well, I remember when they were developing it at the time they were announcing Apple Pay, and it's system seemed pretty cumbersome and inconvenient compared to using a credit card, tap to pay system, Apple Pay or just good old cash. Honestly didn't think it or any of the similar systems would last that long. Apple Pay on the other hand is fantastic. I can leave the house with nothing but the clothes on my back and my Apple Watch and purchase at almost any retailer I come across. No phone, no wallet, no car keys or even that annoying keychain scanning thing some stores give you. Of course none of those retailers are Walmart as they just aren't in the Los Angeles area. Only in the surrounding areas which would be inconvenient for me to travel to. As for them being the largest retailer in the country, that surprises me. I would have thought Amazon would have destroyed them years ago. Amazon has a larger selection of the same cheap crap and they will bring it to your door... a lot of the time the same day as you ordered it. I guess what keeps them hanging on is that fact that, in many small towns, they simply destroyed all the competition leaving residents no other choice but to shop there... and older people who don't like using the internet. All I know is I haven't seen one in a long time.

I can see why you would think that, but the reality is, Amazon and Walmart are two behemoths. You have to remember that Walmart has a huge physical presences with thousands of stores nationwide. Amazon has a huge digital presence and they are trying to compete with Walmart on the physical front. The purchase of Whole foods being one of them. Also, I don't think I would confuse Walmart or Amazon with just cheap goods. Yes, they have a lot of that, and Amazon also has a lot of counterfeit products they have to deal with, but you can buy big ticket items from either of them. That includes Iphones and Ipads.

 

[Treq]

I can see why you would think that, but the reality is, Amazon and Walmart are two behemoths. You have to remember that Walmart has a huge physical presences with thousands of stores nationwide. Amazon has a huge digital presence and they are trying to compete with Walmart on the physical front. The purchase of Whole foods being one of them. Also, I don't think I would confuse Walmart or Amazon with just cheap goods. Yes, they have a lot of that, and Amazon also has a lot of counterfeit products they have to deal with, but you can buy big ticket items from either of them. That includes Iphones and Ipads.

I equate them with cheap goods because thats the business model they fostered. They forced good brands to lower their prices to sell in walmarts until they couldn’t make quality goods anymore or worse went out of business. In at least one case I know of, the business went into bankruptcy, was forced to sell its brand, to a company that makes cheap products in china. It’s what Walmart in kinda known for. Sure, you might find some name brand products in Walmart, but some of those name brands are only the name, and those that are still the same company have had to lower the quality of their products to meet Walmart’s lowball demands... and with Walmart being a lot of people‘s only choice for retail, they are forced to do it or not sell their products in those areas. Anyway, Walmart is a horrible anti-union company that sell cheap crap because that’s the business model they created. I’m glad they aren’t in the LA area but I’m upset that they haven’t gone out of business yet.