Softbank to Release NFC Mobile Payments Stickers for iPhone 4

[japanime]

Since AR is reporting on Softbank, how about a Page 1 story on how Softbank has officially acknowledged that it limits 3G data speeds on iPhones when used for VOIP, video streaming and even certain websites that Softbank has decided are too data-heavy?

http://mb.softbank.jp/en/price_plans/updst_note.html

 

[iphoneblack]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

If you don't like it, it's likely you haven't really experienced it. That's like explaining credit cards. Just go to Hong King, u will see the differences. Small transaction uses this and large for credit cards.

 

[zen]

"...in the land of sumo, sushi and sun-rising..."

My god. That is one of the worst pieces of writing I've ever seen.

 

[neier]

Nice try, but. . .

There are two glaring problems with this implementation.

First, is the lack of support for Suica/Pasmo (the ones that everyone uses to get onto the trains). The three systems that are supported are a nice start; but, if I'm going to affix a sticker to the phone, it should be for something I use every day.

Second, is that unlike the active (ie, powered) felica implementations inside most keitai, the passive form on the sticker can only support a single payment system. I could use four different systems with my pre-iPhone phone.

Now, I've resorted to a wallet-type case that holds three cards.

NFC into the iPhone is high on my wish list for iPhone5.

 

[zorahk]

It seems like Japan is really pushing Apple to update the iPhone's capabilities, like it's missing a bunch of functions that are standard on most other phones.

the iphone is one of the most popular phones in japan right now. mainly because of ease of use, especially with inputting japanese. i'd say about 50% of people using smartphones are using one. the iphone does have a few limitations that irritate me and other people, this being one of them. a lot of things in japan accept these contactless payment systems, from vending machines to arcade machines to the train station. every phone has them EXCEPT the iphone. that's why people have been using cases and stickers that have the cards in them. the problem is it doesn't interface with the phone and so it doesn't give you the full functionality of other phones.

the other thing the iphone is missing for the japanese market is being able to watch 1seg broadcasts. everything has a 1seg tuner these days, whether it be phones, your car gps, or attachments that enable your psp and ds to have them. 1seg is a mobile broadcast method that allows you to watch the standard 12 channels or so. it's not going to give you the awesomeness of satellite, but at least you can watch NHK, TV tokyo, Fuji TV, TBS, etc.


TDLR: why can't my iphone work with suica

 

[flipperfeet]

But this solution doesn't interact with the phone at all
Nothing more than a debit card taped to the back of your phone

You would normally have to start-up an app or login to a website to get totals just as you do with your AT&T minutes. Because this ID is not inside the case does not preclude the user from doing the same thing just as seamlessly as an internal NFC ID. Transactional information is transmitted by the merchant not by the handset, the handset is just an identifier.

Softbank's approach might actually have some advantages, like having the transaction go through a financial institution rather than a phone carrier. If the NFC chip was inside the phone, US users could be darn sure AT&T would require it pass through their system and charge a premium for it.

This could actually be a business opportunity for alternate payment services like PayPal.

 

[finnns2000]

Sounds good. Japan's services such as this and PASMO trump a lot of U.S. services. Having dealt heavily with both, I'd lean towards Japan when it comes to efficiency and convenience.

 

[alfmil]

the other thing the iphone is missing for the japanese market is being able to watch 1seg broadcasts. everything has a 1seg tuner these days, whether it be phones, your car gps, or attachments that enable your psp and ds to have them. 1seg is a mobile broadcast method that allows you to watch the standard 12 channels or so. it's not going to give you the awesomeness of satellite, but at least you can watch NHK, TV tokyo, Fuji TV, TBS, etc.

N

 

[PadreQuevedo]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Most Japanese phones here stream live TV over the air aswelll. In some regards just a regular Japanese phone is more advanced than an iPhone.

Softbank has a oneseg adaptor for iphone. So it has been covered for a while.

 

[Pigumon]

Most people keep their phone handy. It's easier to swipe a phone over a sensor than fumble around with wallets and purses for a card that looks like ten other cards.

The "Osaifu keitai" (literally "wallet phone") system has been in full swing in Japan for over five years. Those guys are way ahead of Americans in this regard. They use them for groceries, transit passes, movie tickets, sports and music events, loyalty cards, etc.

Far more convenient than a card.

Um, my gf would just tap her wallet with the card inside, I don't see how that's any less convenient than [fumbling with a cell phone in your purse].

But this solution doesn't interact with the
phone at all
Nothing more than a debit card taped to the back of your phone

How does it not interact? The card or sticker is simply an identifier. It links a terminal with your account. You tap and go, that's interactive. If you can check your balance of your account on your iPhone, that's interactive. What else do you want it to do, make you pancakes? This is 100% useful stopgap solution.

 

[PadreQuevedo]

the iphone is one of the most popular phones in japan right now. mainly because of ease of use, especially with inputting japanese. i'd say about 50% of people using smartphones are using one. the iphone does have a few limitations that irritate me and other people, this being one of them. a lot of things in japan accept these contactless payment systems, from vending machines to arcade machines to the train station. every phone has them EXCEPT the iphone. that's why people have been using cases and stickers that have the cards in them. the problem is it doesn't interface with the phone and so it doesn't give you the full functionality of other phones.

the other thing the iphone is missing for the japanese market is being able to watch 1seg broadcasts. everything has a 1seg tuner these days, whether it be phones, your car gps, or attachments that enable your psp and ds to have them. 1seg is a mobile broadcast method that allows you to watch the standard 12 channels or so. it's not going to give you the awesomeness of satellite, but at least you can watch NHK, TV tokyo, Fuji TV, TBS, etc.


TDLR: why can't my iphone work with suica

As I said before, there is a 1seg adaptor for TV.

But yes, iPhone is VERY limited for Japanese customers. Before iPhone, Japan had the best cell phones on the planet.

But hey, it's easier to implement a TV tuner and Suica on iPhone than bring 1seg and Shinkansen to every country...

Fortunately we have 1seg here in Brazil. Shinkansen is coming soon.....

 

[Rajani Isa]

But this solution doesn't interact with the phone at all
Nothing more than a debit card taped to the back of your phone

But if it catches on, solutions that interact with the phone will follow. Either as some kind of adapter (like they have for credit card reader programs, or maybe in the style of a battery case) or an integrated feature.

 

[PadreQuevedo]

Um, my gf would just tap her wallet with the card inside, I don't see how that's any less convenient than [fumbling with a cell phone in your purse].



How does it not interact? The card or sticker is simply an identifier. It links a terminal with your account. You tap and go, that's interactive. If you can check your balance of your account on your iPhone, that's interactive. What else do you want it to do, make you pancakes? This is 100% useful stopgap solution.

Dude, I think you have never been to Japan. I lived there for 13 years.

iPhone DOES NOT INTERACT. Let me explain: when you tap and go using a Japanese cell phone, everything comes together with your telephone bill.

 

[SBlue1]

This could actually be a business opportunity for alternate payment services like PayPal.

Paypal?? Good good, never! Worst service and security if you ever need help.

 

[meneush]

card readers 'swipes'

Don't the NFC enabled devices and stickers fall prey to the same risk of cheap proximity readers stealing credit information in a crowd?

See 'hands free pick-pocketing':
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/12/27/dnt.electronic.pickpocket.wreg?hpt=T2

 

[charlituna]

For quite some time my Citi MasterCard has offered similar stickers (called Payment Tags) that "adhere to the back of your mobile device." They may not be shaped like the iPhone, but I imagine they work exactly the same.

I fear such a thing. Stickers stick on, but also fall off. As much as i am not sure folks in the US are ready for tap&pin systems they would freak at the notion of something that could fall off because it is just a sticker. At least if it is in the phone you can pass code lock it and have it auto wipe etc

 

[twoodcc]

well maybe apple will add this to the iPhone 5

 

[SactoGuy18]

I do think the iPhone 5 will support both 1seg broadcasts over cellphone and support near-field communciations for the Mobile FeliCa payment system. Once that that happens it'll be all over for almost every "feature" cellphone in Japan.

 

[pavinder]

Just a quick note to a number of posters who seem concerned about the apparent lack of security of such a payment system if someone else gets hold of your "seal".

This is actually a non-issue here in Japan. Unlike in Western countries, the fact of the matter is that in Japan theft is extremely rare and honesty is the norm. If I dropped my iPhone on the street, chances are that it would simply be picked up by somebody and placed in a prominent nearby position so I could find it when I came back looking. That or it would be handed in to the nearest police box or phone shop. If I lost the phone in a train, it would rarely be picked up by anyone else and would probably be found by the station staff at the end of the day when the train was cleaned.

So yes, in the West this might seem insecure, but in Japan it's perfectly fine.

 

[PadreQuevedo]

Just a quick note to a number of posters who seem concerned about the apparent lack of security of such a payment system if someone else gets hold of your "seal".

This is actually a non-issue here in Japan. Unlike in Western countries, the fact of the matter is that in Japan theft is extremely rare and honesty is the norm. If I dropped my iPhone on the street, chances are that it would simply be picked up by somebody and placed in a prominent nearby position so I could find it when I came back looking. That or it would be handed in to the nearest police box or phone shop. If I lost the phone in a train, it would rarely be picked up by anyone else and would probably be found by the station staff at the end of the day when the train was cleaned.

So yes, in the West this might seem insecure, but in Japan it's perfectly fine.

True. My friend who lives in Japan told me that you can set a password before doing any NFC payment. So if you lose you cellphone it won't be a problem.

 

[Pigumon]

Dude, I think you have never been to Japan. I lived there for 13 years.

iPhone DOES NOT INTERACT. Let me explain: when you tap and go using a Japanese cell phone, everything comes together with your telephone bill.

Well, you are wrong about me not living in Japan, and it seems all your 13 years has not helped you understand the definition of INTERACT.

Being able to check your balance or pay your balance by your iPhone is INTERACTION, whether or not it's built into your phone or not.

"everything coming together with your telephone bill" is convenience, not necessarily interaction. There's nothing saying that Softbank wouldn't add this feature anyway. The sticker is just a stopgap until Apple adds this simple technoloogy to Japanese iPhones.