UK Banks Introducing Touch ID Access to iPhone Apps

[NomadicTy]

I would think partying until you are unconscious would be more of a concern to you than someone "stealing" your fingerprint.

I know, right. But I'm not perfect and I admit it. I've only passed out from partying twice in 10 years. Those two times happened while trying to keep up with friends in South America. Even girls there can outdrink a regular American. Going there is also "unsafe". But hell, it's fun and we only live once.

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In the US even our Chip and PIN cards are not requiring a PIN at the one place I have been able to use it Walmart.

Jeff, where did you get your Chip and PIN card? In the US, only a few credit unions currently offer "true Chip and PIN" cards, where PIN is the priority. Most US cards are Chip and Signature. Some of these may also have PIN capabilities, but only at unmanned kiosks, etc.

So unless your cc is from one of these credit unions (or Bank of Montreal before they closed their applications), do not expect to be asked for PIN unless you're in an unmanned kiosk in France or something.

 

[Zxxv]

I know, right. But I'm not perfect and I admit it. I've only passed out from partying twice in 10 years. Those two times happened while trying to keep up with friends in South America. Even girls there can outdrink a regular American. Going there is also "unsafe". But hell, it's fun and we only live once.

And there's always the case of date rape go to sleep type drugs. Search YouTube for "avoiding the black widow"

 

[numlock]

i cant wait for touch id to get more common. i have to have a chip on my debitcard (which requires a usb card reader and specific software) and sim card with a chip to access certain websites.

 

[Moofo]

All around canada, not within !

Already UK. China soon as well...

I wish canadian banks would stop picking their nose and provide us with the feature !

 

[Yumbo]

My Australian bank offered it last September.

 

[bluedoggiant]

AMEX has been doing this?

 

[scottish]

Generally £20 contactless limit. Some places never seemed to increased from the previous £15.
I've seen recently it might increase again - £25 or £30, can't remember which.
I assumed that was to do with Apple pay - I don't think we're going to lose the contactless limit even when Apple pay arrives.

Another good thing: Morrisons are rolling out contactless terminals. Hopefully they'll be an Apple Pay launch partner. Tesco are rolling it out, I think, because their self service checkouts have a greyed out contactless option.
The £20-30 limit means I can't do my weekly shop using Apple pay though, so I hope the limit goes, somehow.

Also the way I read the BBC article, is that nothing really will change, other than Touch ID rather than passcode when you first launch the app.
The secondary verification is remaining the same, for usage that currently has secondary verification.

Edit:
Link to Morrisons contactless rollout article, which also mentions the £20 limit increasing to £30 later in the year:
http://m.thegrocer.co.uk/513818.article?mobilesite=enabled

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Does anyone know when this app update is rolling out? I can't seem to find that mentioned in the article.

Available from tomorrow according to the RBS press release.

I read recently that contactless payments from a mobile phone will not be subject to a limit. The person had already used their iPhone with a US card in the UK for a transaction over £30.

My local Tesco Metro has already enabled contactless so not sure why it's not available elsewhere. Perhaps it's part of a (long) pilot scheme. Sainsbury's and Asda also have contactless terminals but no sign of the functionality being turned on.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

and you don't want your partner who's planning on leaving you using your finger whilst you sleep thanks to the heavy night of drinking she seduced you into and unlocking your iPhone and transferring funds to her account. Hey you must have done it right as its your finger haha

no thanks I'll still use a pin code

and if you still have to use a pincode to do stuff like transfer and get cash in the app then they've just made an extra step for you by making you reach down to use touch ID first.

If your partner is that untrustworthy then you have more problems to solve than how you should lock your phone.

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Quite frankly I'd rather see ApplePay introduced in the UK, that would be much more useful!

This seems to be a good indication for it. Since the RBS are happy enough to use Touch ID as a password replacement for their app then it's safe to assume that they will be similarly happy to have it as a replacement for chip and pin and when it does come to the UK then they will be behind.

A guy on this forum a few months ago said which banks and companies were going to support it and the RBS group was one of the ones he said would support it from launch.

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Available from tomorrow according to the RBS press release.

I read recently that contactless payments from a mobile phone will not be subject to a limit. The person had already used their iPhone with a US card in the UK for a transaction over £30.

My local Tesco Metro has already enabled contactless so not sure why it's not available elsewhere. Perhaps it's part of a (long) pilot scheme. Sainsbury's and Asda also have contactless terminals but no sign of the functionality being turned on.

Sainsbury's are going to use Zapp (the UK version of CurrentC), however an internal memo when questioned about Apple pay says that they are aware of it and will see how it works when it is released and make a decision on it then. As of now they have said they have received little information on it. I don't think they will rush out Apple pay and contactless but I think they will bring out at some point.

 

[Defender2010]

Both useful. One is up to the bank. One is up to Apple. We'll get it, hopefully in a few months along with the other Summer announcements.

Good to see Touch ID adoption spreading too though, extremely useful in it's own little way.

It was strongly rumoured to be February.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

It was strongly rumoured to be February.

We are half way through February with no announcement, it's safe to say that it won't be launching here in the UK this month, late March at a push would be the earliest feasible date.

 

[kdarling]

and you don't want your partner who's planning on leaving you using your finger whilst you sleep thanks to the heavy night of drinking she seduced you into and unlocking your iPhone and transferring funds to her account. Hey you must have done it right as its your finger haha

Don't even need to be drunk and pass out. Your evil coworker, deadbeat roommate, or crazy teen kids can simply take their time to gather a good print, make a fake finger, and try it out while you're asleep or not paying attention. No rush or actual finger needed

General questions and thoughts not aimed at you:
I'm not sure how terminals will work though.
Do they enable NFC for all payments, but reject if it isn't Apple pay? Can the terminals distinguish what is Apple pay and what isn't? Will we have to specify we're paying by Apple pay?

It doesn't know or care that it's Apple Pay.

It also currently has no idea if you used a passcode or TouchID to unlock the payment app, or for that matter, if you used an Apple Watch and you simply clicked the pay button under the crown to enable it.

This is because the whole point of NFC card emulation mode is that a device looks like a contactless card to the terminal.

That's why, at this time, the same contactless limits apply.

 

[scottish]

Don't even need to be drunk and pass out. Your evil coworker, deadbeat roommate, or crazy teen kids can simply take their time to gather a good print, make a fake finger, and try it out while you're asleep or not paying attention. No rush or actual finger needed



It doesn't know or care that it's Apple Pay.

It also currently has no idea if you used a passcode or TouchID to unlock the payment app, or for that matter, if you used an Apple Watch and you simply clicked the pay button under the crown to enable it.

This is because the whole point of NFC card emulation mode is that a device looks like a contactless card to the terminal.

That's why, at this time, the same contactless limits apply.

This goes against what I've read elsewhere though I was skeptical when I read it.

Touch ID is now working in the RBS app. Make sure you are using the version released on 17th Feb.

 

[wilky76]

Also working for Natwest App aswell.

 

[Zxxv]

So I woke up and opened my natwest app to find a prompt to use Touch ID and I declined as the user experience and security as far as I'm concerned is worse.

 

[kdarling]

This goes against what I've read elsewhere though I was skeptical when I read it.

If you get the chance, please post links to anything you've read like that.

Thanks!

 

[nebo1ss]

I have a wallet app that recently introduced access through the fingerprint scanner. However, they warn you before setting it up that if you switch on the fingerprint scanner access to the app can also be gained by the device password.

Wonder if this is also an issue with these bank apps.

 

[Zxxv]

I have a wallet app that recently introduced access through the fingerprint scanner. However, they warn you before setting it up that if you switch on the fingerprint scanner access to the app can also be gained by the device password.

Wonder if this is also an issue with these bank apps.

Maybe the banks are trying to steal some money and then blame it on the user for sharing their finger print

/sarcasm
/joke

 

[Reason077]

So I woke up and opened my natwest app to find a prompt to use Touch ID and I declined as the user experience and security as far as I'm concerned is worse.

Why do you think security is worse with Touch ID? Yes, it's not infallible, but it takes a fair amount of time, effort and technical ability to defeat it. Using a passcode, on the other hand, is vulnerable to shoulder-surfing attack - making it just as "insecure" - if not more so - if you ever use your device in public places.

This is like those who believe that using contactless payment is less secure than chip & pin for small transactions. It's actually MORE secure, because there's no danger of revealing your PIN.

 

[Reason077]

Generally £20 contactless limit. Some places never seemed to increased from the previous £15.
I've seen recently it might increase again - £25 or £30, can't remember which.

The current limit for contactless payments in the UK is £20. It's due to rise to £30 this year.

 

[peterh988]

Sainsbury's and Asda also have contactless terminals but no sign of the functionality being turned on.

I'd guess because with the big supermarkets, virtually everyone spends over £20, so it's a pretty pointless feature at the moment. Whereas at convenience stores such as my local Co-op, where there are numerous, 'loaf and a bottle of milk' purchases, it can be used regularly.

If Apple Pay gets rid of the £20 limit, I can see them updating the till terminals to comply.

Frustratingly, whilst Tesco's own bank off contactless cards, their own stores don't accept them! (In my area)

 

[Zxxv]

Why do you think security is worse with Touch ID? Yes, it's not infallible, but it takes a fair amount of time, effort and technical ability to defeat it. Using a passcode, on the other hand, is vulnerable to shoulder-surfing attack - making it just as "insecure" - if not more so - if you ever use your device in public places.

This is like those who believe that using contactless payment is less secure than chip & pin for small transactions. It's actually MORE secure, because there's no danger of revealing your PIN.

Supposedly you have to use a pin to do anything anyway unless you just want to view balances.

In public I spin around in a circle when entering my pin so any camera or person trying to get it won't. The only time I use the app in public is to get cash and I usually get the code before I leave the house.

 

[scottish]

If you get the chance, please post links to anything you've read like that.

Thanks!

Sure. Can't remember where I read it right now but will post if I do.

I'd guess because with the big supermarkets, virtually everyone spends over £20, so it's a pretty pointless feature at the moment. Whereas at convenience stores such as my local Co-op, where there are numerous, 'loaf and a bottle of milk' purchases, it can be used regularly.

If Apple Pay gets rid of the £20 limit, I can see them updating the till terminals to comply.

Frustratingly, whilst Tesco's own bank off contactless cards, their own stores don't accept them! (In my area)

Yes you are probably right. Average supermarket transaction is £27 which is presumably part of the rational for raising limit to £30 but think this includes convenience stores too which will decrease the average.

I do wonder how much work is required to enable contactless considering they already have the terminals installed.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Hopefuly halifax will adopt this soon and of course Apple pay will come to the UK.

 

[Reason077]

I'd guess because with the big supermarkets, virtually everyone spends over £20, so it's a pretty pointless feature at the moment. Whereas at convenience stores such as my local Co-op, where there are numerous, 'loaf and a bottle of milk' purchases, it can be used regularly.

If Apple Pay gets rid of the £20 limit, I can see them updating the till terminals to comply.

Frustratingly, whilst Tesco's own bank off contactless cards, their own stores don't accept them! (In my area)

Here in London NW6, I can report that Aldi, M&S, Waitrose, Whole Foods, and Tesco Express all accept contactless.

Sainsbury's, as you point out, have terminals that look like they ought to accept contactless, but it isn't enabled for some reason.

Tesco is a little odd because you have to explicitly press "Contactless payment" on their self-checkout terminals to use it. Everyone else, including the M&S self-checkouts, just let you tap instead of inserting the card if you want to use contactless.

 

[Reason077]

Supposedly you have to use a pin to do anything anyway unless you just want to view balances.

The net result of this is that security is increased by using Touch ID. By not requiring a PIN for actions that are performed frequently, you reduce the risk of PIN disclosure and thus the risk of an attacker being able to do something more serious than view your balance.