Apple Tap to Pay Integration Coming to PayPal and Venmo iOS Apps

[dontwalkhand]

Fair point, but call me old fashioned, I'd rather have the card and ID on me instead of strictly electronic. If I got pulled over or had to give my ID for something, I dont want to hand over my entire phone. A: Theyre expensive and B: We live our entire lives on our phones now and theyre incredibly personal. I'd never want to give someone that much access just to avoid the need to carry a wallet, which are incredibly small to begin with now.. I personally feel safer and more confident having a physical ID and physical cards.

Like I said, time will tell how it progresses.

I have been pulled over (more than I want to admit, maybe I should stop driving, but that is besides the point), and the officer either writes the numbers down and then runs it in his car, or he would scan the barcode the app shows with a mobile device similar to what Walmart, etc. uses. I even signed for the ticket itself with my finger on his mobile device. I never had the officer ask to see the phone itself, even with the car insurance apps that I also use. I even used Apple Pay to pay for the ticket at the courthouse, as they got new card readers too.

Also, I am incentivized to use Apple Pay wherever I go, because I use the Apple Card. If I use the physical card, I only get 1% cash back, whereas with Apple Pay, I get 2% sometimes even 3%. I do admit, I will always ask if a place accepts it first (such as a restaurant), before attempting to eat there, in most cases, I never had an issue, wether if its paying via a QR code on the printed check, or just walking up with the server to the terminal to pay (I wish we had those European wireless card readers!)...In some cases, the restaurant does use the "European style" card readers, and I just tap my phone on that. I have noticed it is mostly local mom and pop restaurants that actually are adapting to this a lot faster than a chain., though the chains aren't too bad, they have table side tablets that do accept Apple Pay as well.

I also use public transit quite a bit, at least 3 times a week, and Valley Metro is finally rolling out an Apple Pay solution that allows me to just scan my phone at a train station or right on the bus! Very convenient. Also, the convenience of having to not worry about a wallet while on a bus or train, is even more convenient, as I do like to travel light.

The only holdouts I go to that don't accept any type of mobile payment at all would be Home Depot. I don't find myself going there often enough to care, and I would just make a mental note to have my physical wallet with me if I have to go there for whatever reason. It is not like I have to buy a new toilet seat every day...unless I can't keep the weight off of me that is .

What would be even more killer is if Tesla would actually get CarKey support, instead of just the bluetooth implementation. That way it would unlock even if the battery is dead.

 

[dontwalkhand]

20% is the number someone else through out there. Its probably accurate, I have no reason to think its wrong.. But either way, the vast majority of in-store payments are not done with a mobile phone.

I think it is going to take a LONG while before this hits mainstream. We still have a significant number of people out there who don't know how to update their phones, open a PDF file and forward it in an email, or even set up an iCloud account. Asking this population to use Apple Pay would be like pulling teeth out.

 

[ryeclift]

I have been pulled over (more than I want to admit, maybe I should stop driving, but that is besides the point), and the officer either writes the numbers down and then runs it in his car, or he would scan the barcode the app shows with a mobile device similar to what Walmart, etc. uses. I even signed for the ticket itself with my finger on his mobile device. I never had the officer ask to see the phone itself, even with the car insurance apps that I also use. I even used Apple Pay to pay for the ticket at the courthouse, as they got new card readers too.

Also, I am incentivized to use Apple Pay wherever I go, because I use the Apple Card. If I use the physical card, I only get 1% cash back, whereas with Apple Pay, I get 2% sometimes even 3%. I do admit, I will always ask if a place accepts it first (such as a restaurant), before attempting to eat there, in most cases, I never had an issue, wether if its paying via a QR code on the printed check, or just walking up with the server to the terminal to pay (I wish we had those European wireless card readers!)...In some cases, the restaurant does use the "European style" card readers, and I just tap my phone on that. I have noticed it is mostly local mom and pop restaurants that actually are adapting to this a lot faster than a chain., though the chains aren't too bad, they have table side tablets that do accept Apple Pay as well.

I also use public transit quite a bit, at least 3 times a week, and Valley Metro is finally rolling out an Apple Pay solution that allows me to just scan my phone at a train station or right on the bus! Very convenient. Also, the convenience of having to not worry about a wallet while on a bus or train, is even more convenient, as I do like to travel light.

The only holdouts I go to that don't accept any type of mobile payment at all would be Home Depot. I don't find myself going there often enough to care, and I would just make a mental note to have my physical wallet with me if I have to go there for whatever reason. It is not like I have to buy a new toilet seat every day...unless I can't keep the weight off of me that is .

What would be even more killer is if Tesla would actually get CarKey support, instead of just the bluetooth implementation. That way it would unlock even if the battery is dead.

I practically live in Home Depot...

I can see the transit card loading and paying as being very convenient. I dont use public transportation that much unless I'm on vacation but I can see the convenience of not having to carry a transit card in addition to all my other cards.

Either way, for me, I would still much rather continue carrying a small leather wallet and have my license, two cards, a few bucks cash, and the ability to keep a few business cards on me also. I just dont have a desire to go wallet-less. That said, I think Apple Pay is great for online shopping and the digital transit card is nice too.

Bigger point I was making though is that PayPal sucks lol.

 

[ryeclift]

I think it is going to take a LONG while before this hits mainstream. We still have a significant number of people out there who don't know how to update their phones, open a PDF file and forward it in an email, or even set up an iCloud account. Asking this population to use Apple Pay would be like pulling teeth out.

The difference is generational. People my age (and I imagine yours) were exposed to a lot more complex technology and software than people my parents age. People who didnt grow up having to deal with software and other complex tech tend to struggle with it. They're also set in their ways.

It doesnt make them dumb though. In fact theyre often a lot better at tinkering with machines and/or working with their hands than people my age.

But anyway, I agree, it's a ways off because there are generations of people who have no interest in changing how they go about their lives. I can assure you my parents will NEVER use Apple Pay lol. My parents done even know the difference between a username and a password... But theyre smart enough to figure out the square root of 365 without using a calculator.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Bigger point I was making though is that PayPal sucks lol.

They have always sucked, they sucked so much that eBay even dumped them a few years ago. I think that ever since eBay dumped them for traditional credit card processing, PayPal has gone even deeper into obsolescence. They really don't even have a reason to be around anymore, as pretty much anyone can set up a traditional credit card processor in a matter of minutes, and $10 to buy a Square reader at Target. There are even more choices for online merchants to not even bother with that scummy company that is anything but your Pal, Stripe, Square, and even your neighborhood bank offers a solution for all of these, and very few lines of code are even needed. In a lot of cases, they just have to copy and paste the provided code, paste it on their website, and it will automatically link to the provider's API for online payments. PayPal is just not needed anymore, and I don't even see why they are still around.

For paying friends and whatnot, Apple Cash, and Zelle do the job quite well as well. Also with both of these money is available the instant it is sent, and can't really be reversed (it's like handing your friend the cash, therefore, its final). Venmo doesn't even need to exist at all either. I think right now PayPal is in the "try to hard to stay relevant" mode, and it isn't going to work. Why bother with PayPal, when Stripe and Square can let pretty much any business accept credit cards without having the user create an account, etc.

 

[ryeclift]

They have always sucked, they sucked so much that eBay even dumped them a few years ago. I think that ever since eBay dumped them for traditional credit card processing, PayPal has gone even deeper into obsolescence. They really don't even have a reason to be around anymore, as pretty much anyone can set up a traditional credit card processor in a matter of minutes, and $10 to buy a Square reader at Target. There are even more choices for online merchants to not even bother with that scummy company that is anything but your Pal, Stripe, Square, and even your neighborhood bank offers a solution for all of these, and very few lines of code are even needed. In a lot of cases, they just have to copy and paste the provided code, paste it on their website, and it will automatically link to the provider's API for online payments. PayPal is just not needed anymore, and I don't even see why they are still around.

For paying friends and whatnot, Apple Cash, and Zelle do the job quite well as well. Also with both of these money is available the instant it is sent, and can't really be reversed (it's like handing your friend the cash, therefore, its final). Venmo doesn't even need to exist at all either. I think right now PayPal is in the "try to hard to stay relevant" mode, and it isn't going to work. Why bother with PayPal, when Stripe and Square can let pretty much any business accept credit cards without having the user create an account, etc.

Agree 1000%. If im not mistaken, Venmo is owned by PayPal.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Agree 1000%. If im not mistaken, Venmo is owned by PayPal.

Venmo is 100% PayPal, and I think they mostly are trying to market themselves to the "unbanked" crowd. I have noticed based on casual observation (not trying to judge anyone or anything) that Venmo cards are quite popular in "poorer" areas. I guess the ability to walk into a store and load money onto the cards is a pretty good advantage they have in the unbanked community.

That being said, Square Cash, American Express Serve, etc, has offered this for years prior to Venmo anyway. And I am sure they offer better support because it isn't PayScum, ahem, Pal. Even Chase offers a "prepaid" solution to the unbanked that gives them full ATM access to load cash, withdraw, and use it like any other debit card. I believe Wells Fargo and most banks do now as well, trying to capture the "unbanked" crowd. So that being said, Venmo doesn't need to exist either, and unlike the other providers, it takes 3-5 days to get your money, which is absolutely positively lame.

 

[echopulse]

I haven’t been to Germany in a number of years but I remember the last time I was there, every European had the chip on their card, except me. And it was an inconvenience for waiters and others to have to swipe my card. I remember feeling like the US was way behind on the credit card tech..

This is different though IMO. The card and the phone are both capable of touch-less payment now. Why would using it on the phone be better than the card for in-person purchases?.. I just don’t see the benefit to the user. Again, time will tell…

I was in a convenience store yesterday and my Apple Pay was declined, but the clerk said Apple Pay worked a thousand times a day. I'm sure he was exaggerating, but even if he was, it seems like a lot of people are using it now. It's not a busy store either.

The benefit is not having to carry a wallet, which could get lost, or stolen. Also, having a thick wallet in your pocket causes discomfort when sitting and someone could steal your ID, and it's a hassle to replace all this stuff.

Sometime, in the next 10 years, everything should be digital, and no one in the US will have to carry a wallet unless they want to. I personally can't wait for that day.

 

[vikingjunior]

Go Woke Go Broke Paypal.