Discover Rolls Out Apple Pay Support for iOS 9, Offers 10% Cashback Bonus for Apple Pay Purchases

[Tom2D2]

I don't know if I buy that. Unless all 5/5S users with a watch are having this issue. I actually wanted to purchase my 6S, using Apple Pay on my discover to get 10% back. Can't really do that if I can't add it to my current setup.

How to Add Your Discover Card to Apple Pay

• On iPhone® just open the Wallet app and tap the plus sign. From there, follow the onscreen instructions.
• On Apple WatchTM, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and select "Wallet & Apple Pay," then tap "Add Credit or Debit Card." From there, follow the onscreen instructions.
• Have the Discover Mobile App? You can add your Discover card to Apple Pay and manage your devices right from the app.

I was having the same problem. Called Discover and they insisted that I CANNOT add a Discover Card to my Apple Watch via an iPhone 5s. Called back again last night and told them I was using a iPhone 6 (so we could get past that)…still no help.

Today, I found the solution:

UNPAIR your Apple Watch from your iPhone (after doing the iOS and WatchOS upgrades) and re-pair it. You can use a backup so you don't have to set everything up from scratch (you will see that option when you go to re-pair your watch).

Once I did that, I was able to setup my Discover (More) card on my Apple Watch via my iPhone 5s…no problem.

I called Discover back this morning and told them the solution…hopefully they listened and entered it into their database so others aren't given bad info like I was yesterday.

 

[c1phers]

I was having the same problem. Called Discover and they insisted that I CANNOT add a Discover Card to my Apple Watch via an iPhone 5s. Called back again last night and told them I was using a iPhone 6 (so we could get past that)…still no help.

Today, I found the solution:

UNPAIR your Apple Watch from your iPhone (after doing the iOS and WatchOS upgrades) and re-pair it. You can use a backup so you don't have to set everything up from scratch (you will see that option when you go to re-pair your watch).

Once I did that, I was able to setup my Discover (More) card on my Apple Watch via my iPhone 5s…no problem.

I called Discover back this morning and told them the solution…hopefully they listened and entered it into their database so others aren't given bad info like I was yesterday.

Thanks for doing the leg work! In the process of repairing my watch right now. I will report back if it works for me.

 

[c1phers]

Success! Card finally added. @Tom2D2 Thanks for your help! It was driving me nuts.

 

[bkaus]

Thanks for the pointers!

Didn't add using the card numbers. Didn't add using the Discover app.

Unpaired the watch. Repaired the watch. Added the card with the discover app.

All from an iPhone 5s

Thanks again! Saved me from getting wrong answers from the customer service line.

Sounds like a bug in the Watch OS. Perhaps not adding the new code to the secure element when doing the upgrade.

 

[bkaus]

The good news: Discover agents are now telling people about the un-pair/re-pair workaround and no longer spreading incorrect info regarding not working with a 5s/apple watch combo. I bet someone at Discover is bending Apple's ear about now...

 

[jeffu]

Quick question - I have two Discover Cards - both added to Wallet just fine - but if you try to use Apple Pay for "in app" purchases - it won't work - specifically says "Not Available for In App Payments" then by the card is says "Not enabled for in app payments" - seems odd???? Anyone else notice this?

 

[BruiserB]

Quick question - I have two Discover Cards - both added to Wallet just fine - but if you try to use Apple Pay for "in app" purchases - it won't work - specifically says "Not Available for In App Payments" then by the card is says "Not enabled for in app payments" - seems odd???? Anyone else notice this?

I've seen it posted that apparently ApplePay for Discover only works for in person payments at this time. No in app payments. Don't know if Discover/Apple have announced any timetable for future support.

Changing subject....has anyone actually been able to see that they are really getting an additional 10% cash back (1% + 10% = 11%)? Part of me has a suspicion that this will turn out to be (1% + 10% of 1% = 1.1%) instead. Just would love to have someone confirm that they have seen the full amount before I go crazy with my new card!

 

[Tom2D2]

I've seen it posted that apparently ApplePay for Discover only works for in person payments at this time. No in app payments. Don't know if Discover/Apple have announced any timetable for future support.

Changing subject....has anyone actually been able to see that they are really getting an additional 10% cash back (1% + 10% = 11%)? Part of me has a suspicion that this will turn out to be (1% + 10% of 1% = 1.1%) instead. Just would love to have someone confirm that they have seen the full amount before I go crazy with my new card!

Regarding Discover in-app payments…it is strange that it allowed me to add my Discover card to my iPad wallet then. I haven't used it, but what is the point of allowing it to be added to the iPad if it cannot be used for in-app/internet purchases (since the iPad cannot be used for NFC purchases)?

Regarding the 10% Cashback Bonus…my billing statement cycle ends on the 24th of the month, so I didn't have any ApplePay purchases yet. I won't know until my November statement since the Cashback Bonuses are not posted for at least a month later. That said, the standard term used for Discover cash back is "Cashback Bonus" (that is for ALL purchases…standard percentages). Therefore, since the press release states "10% Cashback Bonus", I cannot think of a way that they could apply that to mean 10% of 1% since that would be an "additional" 10% over the standard Cashback Bonus.

Discover is rewarding cardmembers in the U.S. who use their Discover cards through Apple Pay with a 10% Cashback Bonus®.

From September 16, to the end of the year, cardmembers who pay with their Discover card using Apple Pay will automatically earn an extra 10% Cashback Bonus on up to $10,000 of in-store purchases. Discover it Miles, Miles and Escape cardmembers will earn an extra 10 miles per dollar on up to $10,000 of in-store purchases.

The bottom line is, it is a maximum of $1,000 Cashback Bonus to each Discover Card customer that:

• Has the hardware required to pay with ApplePay (i.e., iPhone 6 or newer or Apple Watch)
• Uses their Discover Card for ApplePay payments
• Shops at merchants (in-store) that accept ApplePay AND Discover
• Spends $10,000 in 106 days (max)

Realistically, very few Discover Card customers will actually max-out their potential Cashback Bonus since, statistically, the "pool" of customers meeting the above criteria will be very small in the grand scheme of things (from Discover's perspective).

Even with their routine quarterly 5% Cashback Bonus program, the customer has to sign-up for it and actually shop at the limited list of business categories in order to realize the maximum potential benefit. However, THAT "pool" is much larger than the ApplePay Discover Cardmembers.

So, it really isn't too good to be true when you think about it.

 

[tmiw]

News stand in the San Diego airport supports Apple Pay but Discover wouldn't work (Watch buzzes and claims it's successful but the terminal does nothing). Kind of a shame that Discover didn't get it working in more places before they officially rolled Apple Pay support out.

 

[talmy]

Realistically, very few Discover Card customers will actually max-out their potential Cashback Bonus since, statistically, the "pool" of customers meeting the above criteria will be very small in the grand scheme of things (from Discover's perspective).

I know I don't spend $10000 in 3 months on credit cards! But I'm having a rough time spending anything with ApplePay and the Discover card. Best I've done was buying an Apple Watch in an Apple Store using it. But most of my purchases have either been on-line or at stores that don't take Apple Pay.

 

[ROLLTIDE1]

I know I don't spend $10000 in 3 months on credit cards! But I'm having a rough time spending anything with ApplePay and the Discover card. Best I've done was buying an Apple Watch in an Apple Store using it. But most of my purchases have either been on-line or at stores that don't take Apple Pay.

You can easily buy prepaid vanilla giftcards and use them anywhere for 22% cashback

 

[MuGeN PoWeR]

You can easily buy prepaid vanilla giftcards and use them anywhere for 22% cashback

can you explain what you are trying to say? Thanks

 

[mzd]

Changing subject....has anyone actually been able to see that they are really getting an additional 10% cash back (1% + 10% = 11%)? Part of me has a suspicion that this will turn out to be (1% + 10% of 1% = 1.1%) instead. Just would love to have someone confirm that they have seen the full amount before I go crazy with my new card!

got my latest statement, charges specifically say APPLE PAY next to them, but the 10% cash back bonus is not showing up in my rewards. i haven't contacted Discover yet - their website says it can take up to 8 weeks for rewards to post, but they have always posted on the current billing statement for me in the past, and i did get the 5% Amazon cash back reward promo they have going on right now on another charge. we'll see if i have the patience to wait for another billing statement before i call them to ask what's going on.

 

[powerbook911]

You can easily buy prepaid vanilla giftcards and use them anywhere for 22% cashback

The instructions in Apple pay told me that gift cards are not eligible for the 10 percent. I don't know how they can know if you buy gift cards though?

 

[bmms8]

The instructions in Apple pay told me that gift cards are not eligible for the 10 percent. I don't know how they can know if you buy gift cards though?

Everyone is waiting to find out. In about 2 weeks we will find out.

 

[dukejl]

I had my statement come in today - only some of my extra 10% apple pay promotion that I spent during the time frame was applied. For instance, the iPhone I purchased outright in the store was not credited yet but other smaller transactions at Gas Stations, McDonalds were.

I believe they say it can take 8 weeks (or 2 billing cycles) for it to be applied - so I'll wait another month.

 

[BruiserB]

I got a Discover card just because of this promotion so am hoping to see the additional cash back as promised....and to see it doubled after a year. As far as gift cards go, I've wondered about this as well....since Apple touts privacy as one of the benefits of ApplePay, how would Discover know what was purchased? I do think I recall hearing that somehow "cash equivalent" transactions are coded differently in the data sent to card companies. I wonder if something like that comes into play? And I wonder what happens if you have some gift cards mixed in with other items....are they able to know so much was merchandise and so much was gift cards?

I wasn't planning to exploit this in any big way, but will probably pick up some iTunes gift cards at Best Buy on Black Friday weekend and see what happens. They have been pretty reliably 20% off for the last several years. If I get an additional 22% off that would be great, but if not I still get them at a great price.

Additionally I'm wondering what Discover card users have found with international acceptance? I've been pleased to have yet to find somewhere in the US that doesn't accept it (other than a club store that only takes one brand of card). I see they have purchased Diners Club and apparently the card is accepted internationally anywhere that takes that. I remember several years ago DC was quite widely accepted in many European countries. Also they have partnered with JCB of Japan and I think UnionPay? of China, so I would think that would open up a lot more acceptance. They have no foreign transaction fee. Currently I keep a card with an annual fee that has no foreign fee...wondering if Discover could be useful overseas?

 

[talmy]

I've been pleased to have yet to find somewhere in the US that doesn't accept it (other than a club store that only takes one brand of card).

You are lucky. I've found many stores that don't take it, usually smaller ones, because they have higher merchant fees than Visa/MC.

 

[Tom2D2]

I had my statement come in today - only some of my extra 10% apple pay promotion that I spent during the time frame was applied. For instance, the iPhone I purchased outright in the store was not credited yet but other smaller transactions at Gas Stations, McDonalds were.

I believe they say it can take 8 weeks (or 2 billing cycles) for it to be applied - so I'll wait another month.

Last month, I received my first statement since this promo started. As others have indicated, every ApplePay transaction is denoted as such right on the statement. Last month, only a small standard cash back was awarded.

This week, I received my November statement. There was indeed some extra bonus cash back (detailed in a separate line in the cash back area). What I was able to ascertain was, they paid the extra 10% on all purchases though the end of September. Based on that, I expect my December statement will show the extra 10% on all purchases though the end of November.

Bottom line, it is indeed an extra 10% over and above the standard Bonus Cash Back.

 

[Morac]

My October bill showed some Apple Pay transactions. My November bill didn't show anything indicating a 10% cash back. Hopefully my December one does.

 

[Tom2D2]

My October bill showed some Apple Pay transactions. My November bill didn't show anything indicating a 10% cash back. Hopefully my December one does.

Did you make any Apple Pay purchases in September?

 

[Morac]

Did you make any Apple Pay purchases in September?

No.

 

[BruiserB]

I did call Discover a few weeks back and was assured I'd be getting the 10% back even though I haven't seen it on my statements yet either. I have been ApplePaying for everything I can!

 

[BruiserB]

Got my first statement today which seems to include my 10% Bonus Cash Back for ApplePay transactions in Sept and October. Haven't done the math to make sure they got it exactly right, but it's just under 10% of those statements and I had a few non ApplePay transactions.

 

[Tom2D2]

Last month, I received my first statement since this promo started. As others have indicated, every ApplePay transaction is denoted as such right on the statement. Last month, only a small standard cash back was awarded.

This week, I received my November statement. There was indeed some extra bonus cash back (detailed in a separate line in the cash back area). What I was able to ascertain was, they paid the extra 10% on all purchases though the end of September. Based on that, I expect my December statement will show the extra 10% on all purchases though the end of November.

Bottom line, it is indeed an extra 10% over and above the standard Bonus Cash Back.

I made a mistake in the above quoted post.
I said, "Based on that, I expect my December statement will show the extra 10% on all purchases though the end of November."
What I meant to say was, "Based on that, I expect my December statement will show the extra 10% on all purchases though the end of October."

Well, my December statement came…and there was a much larger extra bonus cash back on it. Not only did it cover all of October, it also covered all of November and even some of December (although, I was not able to figure-out exactly which December purchases were already paid).

So, now I have lost my precise cut-off date, but in any case, it appears that they accelerated the extra (ApplePay) cash back bonuses as of this month's statement. It will still be easy enough for me to calculate since I have ONLY used my Discover Card for Apple Pay purchases since this promo started, so all I have to do is add-up ALL of my purchases made between September and December and see if they indeed paid-out the 10% over and above, as promised.

Unfortunately, I have found in prior audits of Discover Card…you HAVE to watch them like a hawk on their "bonus" awards as they seem to have many, MANY ways to try to evade actually paying-up. AMEX has earned my trust and I know they pay what they say they will pay, so I am not inclined to continue auditing every statement from AMEX. Same thing with my Chase Freedom Visa…they have never tried to short me, so I trust them now.

So far, it seems they have paid…even in advance of expected…on this promo.