Will be interesting to see how Apple pushes this technology, especially when many retailers are trying to pull away from Apple Pay in order to institute their own NFC payment system partnerships (a la CVS' announcement last week).
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Apple's NFC Ambitions Extend Beyond Apple Pay to Building Security, Transit Ticketing
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NFC is the new USB
Before the iMac, USB was the "Useless Serial Bus". Apple helped make USB Ubiquitous.
Maybe it can do the same for NFC?
Before the iMac, USB was the "Useless Serial Bus". Apple helped make USB Ubiquitous.
Maybe it can do the same for NFC?
Here's your tax dollars at works.. 
We never hear Samsung moving forward with these things... its always Apple.. Obviously if other companies hold back, what is the reason ?
NFC is not unique for Apple..... So, why hasn't this been done allot sooner if is was this great. ?
I always have to think this, because if it's just good technology, why stand around and do nothing ?
I can't believe Apple is the only one who's smart here
We never hear Samsung moving forward with these things... its always Apple.. Obviously if other companies hold back, what is the reason ?
NFC is not unique for Apple..... So, why hasn't this been done allot sooner if is was this great. ?
I always have to think this, because if it's just good technology, why stand around and do nothing ?
I can't believe Apple is the only one who's smart here
Yes. PLEASE do this in DC as well!
The TLC (transit link card) issued by the MTA in the DC metro area is ridiculous. You pay over $250 per month for the thing and all you get is a piece of flimsy paper as the pass. Yeah, it has a mag-stripe on the back, but it usually demagnetizes itself within the first 3-4 uses, and sometimes won't even last that long if you get a small crease in the paper first.
I'd love to just be able to walk through the turn-style with my iPhone 6 and have it automatically let me through.
The TLC (transit link card) issued by the MTA in the DC metro area is ridiculous. You pay over $250 per month for the thing and all you get is a piece of flimsy paper as the pass. Yeah, it has a mag-stripe on the back, but it usually demagnetizes itself within the first 3-4 uses, and sometimes won't even last that long if you get a small crease in the paper first.
I'd love to just be able to walk through the turn-style with my iPhone 6 and have it automatically let me through.
Exactly the opposite... but thanks for playing...
The more ubiquitous Apple can make their nfc-enabled devices, the more pressure there will be for retailers to get on the bandwagon.
Actually they have opened up NFC by allowing the user to simply use the 6 or 6+ for regular NFC payments at NFC terminals, not just ApplePay specific terminals. There is one video of a student in some university in Ontario, Canada with an American credit card (Chase?) that used his iPhone 6+ to pay for a Coke at an NFC equipped vending machine. Other people online have also confirmed the ability to use their iPhones at retailers not associated with ApplePay, but with NFC terminals to pay for goods. Hence the closure of the NFC terminals at CVS and Rite Aid due to people using their iPhones.
You could just use the Smartrip card, which is plastic and uses contactless payments.
But yes, Metro is far too expensive.
You obviously don't understand how apple work. They don't care if they're the first or not.
buy an AppleWatch
that stinks. but for some this will be useful. and Apple is at least considering other NFC options.
it would be great if somehow advances in NFC and communications tech make it actually possible for the EMC type of credit purchase (apple pay) could be used for going through the turn-style wicket without purchasing the actual ticket. but this is not possible currently. at least in japan its not currently possible.
the various types of e-wallets/apps on mobile phones in japan now (such as suica and osaifu-keitai) are ALL prepaid based. for one good reason: the time that is required to make the transaction is much shorter for some reason when compared with making the purchase through a credit card type of post-paid transaction. for example: in japan the electronic road pricing is credit-card based (not prepaid) and the transaction time is about 1 or 1.5 seconds. noticeably slow when going through the road toll.
but currently no train or subway ticket system turn-style/wicket system is operating on any post-paid card. they are ALL prepaid systems here. when i asked why (a few years ago) the basic answer was the post-paid system was still too slow. milliseconds slow, but too slow for wicket based post paid system.
of course purchase of a train/subway ticket at an automatic vending machine would be different. that is certainly possible.
the various types of e-wallets/apps on mobile phones in japan now (such as suica and osaifu-keitai) are ALL prepaid based. for one good reason: the time that is required to make the transaction is much shorter for some reason when compared with making the purchase through a credit card type of post-paid transaction. for example: in japan the electronic road pricing is credit-card based (not prepaid) and the transaction time is about 1 or 1.5 seconds. noticeably slow when going through the road toll.
but currently no train or subway ticket system turn-style/wicket system is operating on any post-paid card. they are ALL prepaid systems here. when i asked why (a few years ago) the basic answer was the post-paid system was still too slow. milliseconds slow, but too slow for wicket based post paid system.
of course purchase of a train/subway ticket at an automatic vending machine would be different. that is certainly possible.
Wouldn't the queue to enter be jammed when people use the slower apple pay than metro card or ezlink / octopus card?
In my country, our metro card take 1 second to process. But I reckon apple pay need 3 sec.
In my country, our metro card take 1 second to process. But I reckon apple pay need 3 sec.
Apple gets dressed and combs their hair before they get to the party. They might not be the first one in the door, but when they show up they're dressed to kill. LOL
When I lived in Japan (2007), I was jealous of all the technology they had related to contactless payments. US is way behind!
People would rather lose their wallets than their phones over there.
Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-a-decade-behind-japans-mobile-payment-curve-2014-9
This would be awesome for Transit.
Come on, TTC! Equip everything with NFC. Digital Metropass. Coming in 2099! At Spading station as a pilot! Fully launching Summer 2125!
Come on, TTC! Equip everything with NFC. Digital Metropass. Coming in 2099! At Spading station as a pilot! Fully launching Summer 2125!
That would be perfect, but for public transit, definitely disable the thumb-scan, especially if you're in a line of people who are in a hurry, agreed??
re: SmartTrip card
Umm..... if you can actually do that, please enlighten me on how that works?
I have several SmartTrip cards lying around from when I first moved up to the area and the family would occasionally take the Metro someplace.
As far as I can tell though, the TLC is a different thing completely. You have to buy it online, or from one of only a couple of locations ... and it grants you unlimited use of the MARC train on the line you specify, as well as unlimited use of the Metro and regular bus routes.
I don't know of any way to put such an "unlimited use" status onto a SmartTrip card?
Umm..... if you can actually do that, please enlighten me on how that works?
I have several SmartTrip cards lying around from when I first moved up to the area and the family would occasionally take the Metro someplace.
As far as I can tell though, the TLC is a different thing completely. You have to buy it online, or from one of only a couple of locations ... and it grants you unlimited use of the MARC train on the line you specify, as well as unlimited use of the Metro and regular bus routes.
I don't know of any way to put such an "unlimited use" status onto a SmartTrip card?
Our ORCA card regional system uses NFC cards, and can either be pre-loaded with fare to use across our multiple transit systems, or per-system monthly passes (cheaper for the lower-fare systems). If you get on an Everett transit bus ($1), you get a 2 hour pass. If, within that two hours, you get on a Community Transit bus ($2), you just pay the extra $1 and the two hour pass is reset. Same applies to Sound Transit, King County Metro transit, Pierce transit, Kitsap transit (and ferries), Link Light Rail, King County Ferry District and Washington State Ferries. It's a great system.
NFC is pretty instant.
I guess if the iPhone needs to be aware it's being used and to keep it secure you need the TouchID you might need to touch it just prior to pressing it towards the NFC reader.
Or maybe for major cities there will be a specific go around so that TouchID isn't required? I don't know.
I know what you mean though - there would be bottleneck in London at rush hour if people needed to wait for their iPhones to recognise it's in front of an NFC reader, press TouchID and open the gates.
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It is a great system.
The golden point I was mentioning above though was the lack of any need to even pre-load a travel card with NFC. It caps you daily and weekly automatically so you'll only ever underpay.
Plenty of times I would purchase a weekly ticket and then not use it enough. This way I'll never waste any money on untaken journeys.
But I want all cities to see the benefits of NFC and it sounds like your city has got it
I was not aware you were looking for an unlimited use type card. It really is stupid that WMATA doesn't have a monthly pass available on the Smartrip card.