ExxonMobil Now Supports Apple Pay in 'Speedpass+' App

[bladerunner88]

Apple Pay in the US is getting ridiculous... Unlocking a phone and opening an app will take more or as much time than putting your card in the card slot and typing your PIN... Why can't the US agree on a standard for contactless payments exactly? Why is it so easy in the UK?

Because the US of A is filled with Stupid Bloody Corporate Tuesday Men who can't agree on anything, particularly if that agreement means making things convenient or easy for the "Consumer".....Rite Aid held out for a year and a half before implementing Pay because they relised they were not getting the Data only an encrypted #. Walgreens a competitor and Whole Foods implemented on rollout and saw 150% increase in sales in the first month and a half.

 

[mountain]

They should have a list of new retails that will support Apple and Android pay this year.

 

[groovyd]

This seems less convenient than just swiping a card. DOA.

Implement NFC at the pump for Apple Pay. When I can just tap my Apple Watch to the pump it will be an immediate win.

except that you will no longer soon be swiping a card but inserting it and waiting 15 seconds for the chip reader to do it's thing. but yeah the savings is mostly 0. they really need to just support nfc at the pump so you don't need their app for it. who really wants their phone full of these garbage one off apps every vendor comes up with?

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I don't see ApplePay as a convenience offering...I still have to pull my phone out and (usually) interact with the POS terminal. I approach it as a significantly more secure way to make purchases...I'd still use it if it took twice as long as swiping a card.

I see it as both.

1) Pulling my iPhone out is usually easier than pulling out my wallet and then the card (1 step vs 2)
2) If I've been waiting in line I usually have my iPhone out anyway
3) I have an Apple Watch so regardless of any scenario I can just stick my wrist up to the terminal

 

[konqerror]

The ironic thing is that ExxonMobil does have NFC readers in all of their pumps (and have had them for probably 20 years), as that's how regular SpeedPass works.

Those aren't NFC and are completely incompatible. Those are a TI 134 kHz system that is also used to microchip pets. If you break open a Speedpass key fob, you'll find the chip is exactly the same, encapsulated in glass.

The security of this system is completely broken, and the chips can be easily cloned.

 

[Mac 128]

Starbucks isn't a good example. I don't know about anyone else but it's the only barcode based app that I'm actually okay with--mainly because of its tight integration into iOS and its very high reliability when actually using it to pay.

I don't know why. Anyone with an iPhone 6 or above can walk into a Walgreens and pay using Pay. That same person can't walk into a Starbucks and pay with Pay. Their choices are pay with cash or credit card, or download a special app and register with Stabucks, give them your credit card info, then to make a purchase open up the app at a Starbucks, and let them scan a QR code.

So, no this is exactly the same thing. I would expect that the Exxon app will pop up automatically when driving into an Exxon station given that it uses GPS, no different from Starbucks, and then unlike Starbucks, it will use Pay making the transaction more secure than Starbucks which still has your credit card on file just waiting for a server hack. In fact Exxon is an improvement over Starbucks as it will evidently only force you to scan a QR code should a GPS signal not be around.

In fact Starbucks is likely not much different than Wal-Mart Pay, which employees will likely be better trained to use it than Starbucks'. Whenever I have a problem at Starbucks paying with the app, and I have had problems thanks to their constant updates to the app over the years which always seems to need an update when I try to use it, they have to call over the "tech" barista to help -- but they don't all have one of those, and then I have to get out the credit card.

 

[BruiserB]

Those aren't NFC and are completely incompatible. Those are a TI 134 kHz system that is also used to microchip pets. If you break open a Speedpass key fob, you'll find the chip is exactly the same, encapsulated in glass.

The security of this system is completely broken, and the chips can be easily cloned.

My only point was that ExxonMobil tried once to be on the forefront of technology so if anything they are keenly aware of the cost and time of updating all of their pumps. I did go on to state that their systems must not be reconfigurable to accept ApplePay...and you just confirmed that.

I found more on SpeedPass here...and you are right, it has been cracked.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedpass

 

[shartypants]

This seems less convenient than just swiping a card. DOA.

Implement NFC at the pump for Apple Pay. When I can just tap my Apple Watch to the pump it will be an immediate win.

I agree, swiping is easier.

 

[MrShoehorn]

Use it in the car. Problem solved. That's why they're giving you 45 seconds.

Except when you have no GPS and you have to use the QR code!!

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

That would be cool if they were not always .20-.30 per gallon more than the next highest station around here. That's a steep price for not that much additional convenience.

Normally Exxon pays extra to get locations immediately off of a highway, so it's easy to get off the highway, get gas, and get back on the highway without wondering around town.

Locals know where the cheaper gas around town is - they aren't the market that Exxon is targeting.

I always appreciate seeing Exxon on a road trip. I'm willing to pay the extra $2 to not spend ten minutes searching for a gas station and then figuring out how to get back on the highway.

 

[winston1236]

No thanks, they should just accept Apple Pay and be done with it. I don't want an app that tracks me so Exxon can sell the data to advertisers.
[doublepost=1457456887][/doublepost]

Apple Pay in the US is getting ridiculous... Unlocking a phone and opening an app will take more or as much time than putting your card in the card slot and typing your PIN... Why can't the US agree on a standard for contactless payments exactly? Why is it so easy in the UK?

Because in the US the issue is always that cities want freedom from states, states want freedom from the federal government and so on. Everyone wants this freedom and it leads to standards never being agreed upon.

 

[Boatboy24]

3rd-party access to NFC wouldn't be necessary. Exxon/Mobil just needs to install NFC readers in their pumps so they work with Apple Pay.

What technology does the current Speedpass use? Seems to me they're halfway there already, but just want to force you to use the app for their data mining.

 

[Rigby]

So, no this is exactly the same thing. I would expect that the Exxon app will pop up automatically when driving into an Exxon station given that it uses GPS, no different from Starbucks, and then unlike Starbucks, it will use Pay making the transaction more secure than Starbucks which still has your credit card on file just waiting for a server hack..

You don't have to give Starbucks your credit card info. You can reload the Starbucks card using Apple Pay in the app.

 

[Bromeo]

Gas pumps are a huge target for skimmers, let alone the increasing problem of data breaches with POS systems. My bank just sent me yet another replacement card due to a data breach at an unnamed merchant (since unnamed, I have no idea which merchant - some of these breaches are apparently ongoing).

I try to use Apple Pay (usually via my Watch) wherever possible. Otherwise, fallback is chip. I am hesitant to do magstripe anymore. Really gets tiring updating credit cards.

That said, I'm not keen on half-baked solutions like this. How convenient for Exxon that I have to install and use their app with GPS privileges turned on. If they aren't planning to mine that rather rich consumer data, they'd better plan to market privacy instead (but would anyone really believe such a message?).

Part of the appeal of Apple Pay is anonymity and privacy. Funding a retailer's app through Apple Pay circumvents that.

 

[Rigby]

Part of the appeal of Apple Pay is anonymity and privacy. Funding a retailer's app through Apple Pay circumvents that.

Yes. The desire to be able to track the customers' purchase history is probably the main driver why retailers choose this approach instead of straight Apple Pay at the register.

 

[larrylaffer]

Could this be any more convoluted?

If only there was a way to NFC with iPhones to may payments fast...

 

[Mac 128]

You don't have to give Starbucks your credit card info. You can reload the Starbucks card using Apple Pay in the app.

So it's actually worse than Exxon, and still not as convenient as just using Pay.

 

[tmiw]

give them your credit card info

The Starbucks app lets you reload using Apple Pay. In fact, I just did that yesterday.

 

[nutmac]

"Anything that involves the pump from a hardware point of view takes years to deploy and is extremely expensive," - Exxon

Exactly. Most gas stations are on very thin margin as it is. I suspect most will hold out at least until underground storage tanks need to be replaced.

 

[Rigby]

So it's actually worse than Exxon, and still not as convenient as just using Pay.

Only in the sense that you have to pre-load (which is not a big deal for small purchases like coffee). Otherwise, it's much easier than the Exxon thing: You just hold the barcode to the scanner and done. In the Exxon app, you have to make sure that you have a location lock, enter the pump number, and then do the Apple Pay checkout every time.

 

[Weaselboy]

I just used the app with Apple Pay a few minutes ago at a Mobile station and it went smoothly.

When you download the Speedpass+ app and launch it, you are prompted to make an account. You can use any name and email you want to make the account. No email verification is sent. By default Apple Pay is listed as a payment method. You can add other credit cards to the app if you like.

So I rolled into the gas station and opened the app. In about two seconds it used GPS to figure out what station I was in and a graphic came up asking what pump number I wanted. I selected my pump number then the familiar Apple Pay fingerprint logo came up. On that same Speedpass+ screen are a couple toggles for car wash, email receipt, and print receipt. I configured those toggles like I wanted then did the touchID. At that point I just put my phone in my pocket and watched the screen on the pump. It immediately came up with an "Authorizing..." message just like when you swipe your CC and enter the zip code. About three seconds later it authorized and I filled my tank. About three seconds after I shut off the pump my iPhone vibrated, so I checked the Speedpass+ app and noticed it showed the completed transaction.

In an email alert from my bank I noticed they sent a one dollar charge as soon as a I authorized with touchID, then after I finished pumping gas the one dollar charge disappeared and the full amount charge appeared as a CC transaction.

Now that I know how this works and I have the options toggled like I want, I think from now on it is about as fast as just swiping my CC and having to enter your zip code at the pump. Plus using Apple Pay like this it protects my CC from being intercepted by the bad guys.

To those concerned about the Speedpass+ app tracking your spending, I suppose I understand the concern, but personally I could care less if Mobil knows where and when I bought gas. They already knew from my previous CC transactions anyway. I suspect they are using this SpeedPass+ app/system because it allows them to integrate Apple Pay into their existing hardware without having to add Apple Pay compatible NFC hardware into millions of gas pumps.

 

[69Mustang]

Exactly. Most gas stations are on very thin margin as it is. I suspect most will hold out at least until underground storage tanks need to be replaced.

Infrastructure is a money suck. Necessary, but a money suck nonetheless. You bring up a great point regarding margin. It's very thin like you said. It's very, very thin when customers don't go inside. To survive, they need customers to come in the door and buy higher margin products. It's just another reason we'll probably see NFC adoption inside the stores far, far sooner than at the pump.

Some in this forum say "just implement NFC so I can use Apple Pay" without a thought as to how it would get done.

 

[hofer]

Apple Pay is not going nowhere

Yes, that is exactly where it is going - nowhere! Having to use it from within a retailer's app is just as bad as what Walmart and Target is doing. Having to have an app for each retailer is just stupid - unless you are the retailer, that is!

 

[tmiw]

Yes, that is exactly where it is going - nowhere! Having to use it from within a retailer's app is just as bad as what Walmart and Target is doing. Having to have an app for each retailer is just stupid - unless you are the retailer, that is!

To be fair, most people only have a limited number of apps on their phones anyway and visit the same grocery store, gas station, etc. on a day to day basis. Having to juggle a couple of additional apps for payment will probably be seen as worthwhile if one can earn rewards at those frequently visited places. Caveat being that the usability of said apps can't be a total trainwreck.

Going back to Starbucks again as an example of "doing it right", if I had to open the app every single time I wanted to pay with it, I would never use it. But since they let you add your card to Passbook/Wallet, I can open the card from the lock screen and it's thus no more of a hassle than swiping. I only go into the app to reload the card these days, and could just have it auto-reload as needed to avoid even that--but since I don't go there frequently enough to warrant it, I just reload as needed with Apple Pay.

Whether other retailers will be able to recreate Starbucks' success though is the big question. A lot of retail IT departments are pretty bad and have "not invented here" syndrome at best, so full integration with iOS/Android will likely be resisted for quite a while.

 

[Mac 128]

So I rolled into the gas station and opened the app. In about two seconds it used GPS to figure out what station I was in and a graphic came up asking what pump number I wanted. I selected my pump number then the familiar Apple Pay fingerprint logo came up. On that same Speedpass+ screen are a couple toggles for car wash, email receipt, and print receipt. I configured those toggles like I wanted then did the touchID. At that point I just put my phone in my pocket and watched the screen on the pump. It immediately came up with an "Authorizing..." message just like when you swipe your CC and enter the zip code. About three seconds later it authorized and I filled my tank. About three seconds after I shut off the pump my iPhone vibrated, so I checked the Speedpass+ app and noticed it showed the completed transaction.

In an email alert from my bank I noticed they sent a one dollar charge as soon as a I authorized with touchID, then after I finished pumping gas the one dollar charge disappeared and the full amount charge appeared as a CC transaction.

Now that I know how this works and I have the options toggled like I want, I think from now on it is about as fast as just swiping my CC and having to enter your zip code at the pump. Plus using Apple Pay like this it protects my CC from being intercepted by the bad guys.

The lag here seems to be that the app doesn't automatically know when you are pulling into an Exxon station (is that an option in settings?). If it were automatically loading the GPS info in the background, then you should be able to unlock your iPhone, and a direct link to the App would already be there like when I pull into a Starbucks parking lot.

But beyond that, comparing your transaction to Starbucks, I'd say it's actually faster, even if you have to enter the pump info. At Starbucks you have to stand there while the clerk rings up the order, and then sets up payment via the App, all of which takes time too. And as long as you have a valid credit card attached to your Pay, you won't have to worry about not having enough money loaded on your Starbucks card, and perhaps have to first pre-load, before you make your purchase. I actually hate giving Starbucks my money, so they can earn the interest on it instead of me.

All things considered, that sounds much faster than swiping. No zip code, no options for receipts -- it seems like I'm always forgetting one or the other, or failing to press enter, or the yes/no key. Also, I always check that there isn't a card skimmer attached to gas pumps. So using Pay is much more secure. It's still an unnecessary step in my mind, but seems like it could be easier than swiping.