Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Why have so many become NFC/Apple Pay snobs?

ChrisTX

ChrisTX

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Dec 30, 2009
2,689
55
Texas
Don't take this the wrong way, but I've noticed one thing since the introduction of Apple Pay that didn't seem to be present when there was only Google Wallet. People have become way too snobbish towards Apple Pay. Why is everyone getting so bent out of shape when their favorite retailers or even retailers they probably don't shop at in the first place are disabling NFC/Apple Pay? I get that NFC may or may not be the future of how we pay, but refusing to pay any other way other than Apple Pay is getting out of hand. Don't you think? Admittedly I've been an Android user for the past few years with access to Google Wallet, but I just don't see the allure of NFC. To me it's almost like a novelty. Maybe I'm the only one? Sorry for the rant, but I'm trying to understand the hype with Apple Pay. Is there some incentive to this over conventional credit card use? I never use cash if that helps and almost always pay by credit, but I'm trying to see the bigger picture I guess.

Maybe everyone's just excited because this is something new. Perhaps the hype will die down after the "newness" wears off.

/Rant over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AleXXXa
ChrisTX said:
Don't take this the wrong way, but I've noticed one thing since the introduction of Apple Pay that didn't seem to be present when there was only Google Wallet. People have become way too snobbish towards Apple Pay. Why is everyone getting so bent out of shape when their favorite retailers or even retailers they probably don't shop at in the first place are disabling NFC/Apple Pay? I get that NFC may or may not be the future of how we pay, but refusing to pay any other way other than Apple Pay is getting out of hand. Don't you think? Admittedly I've been an Android user for the past few years with access to Google Wallet, but I just don't see the allure of NFC. To me it's almost like a novelty. Maybe I'm the only one? Sorry for the rant, but I'm trying to understand the hype with Apple Pay. Is there some incentive to this over conventional credit card use? I never use cash if that helps and almost always pay by credit, but I'm trying to see the bigger picture I guess.

Maybe everyone's just excited because this is something new. Perhaps the hype will die down after the "newness" wears off.

/Rant over.
Click to expand...

Because when Google did it no one cared.

Apple is the one company with the clout to make NFC payments take off in the US. People are upset over it because some retailers themselves have stepped in to try and cripple the technology as a result.
 
Apple pay, Google wallet personally I don't think anyone's going to care but the one making money from this. And us as the end-users should really care less if this technology takes off or not.
 
we are snobs because that's just the way it is.

as far as mcx/currentc are concerned, as far as i know they are the big retail companies themselves who created the technology. it is a direct competition against apple pay, so it makes sense in a business standpoint to not support the competition.

it looks like retailers are trying to compete and give apple a run for their money.. it reminds me of blueray vs hddvd all over again.. in the end apple pay will be blueray.

so yea, i will try to ignore everyone who doesn't use apple pay.
 
Security.

Personally I wouldn't trust/use Google Wallet, but that is my own issue.

But I'm growing tired of wondering WHEN, not IF, my card will be hacked somewhere.

I get some people don't care. A lot do.

I work with the public trying to convince then to get cards from a merchant. I hear all day about why people use what they do. Security is currently high on the list... They don't trust anyplace with their info to get a new card. They are using the card they trust the most to catch and fight fraud. People are fed up, a lot have gone back to cash.

It is an interesting study in people each shift.
 
because apple ifans are snobs.

That apple pay thread is a perfect example. around 7 days ago apple pay went live, a handefull of stores pulled support for it, and they are going nuts, threatening boycotts, loaded up carts at the store and then abandoning then, etc.

Or just look at the over the top defense of apples questionable decisions. - Thinness, bending, led light, small screens etc etc. Features that don't really have a right or wrong answer, yet ifans will defend whatever apple does.
 
opfreak said:
because apple ifans are snobs.

That apple pay thread is a perfect example. around 7 days ago apple pay went live, a handefull of stores pulled support for it, and they are going nuts, threatening boycotts, loaded up carts at the store and then abandoning then, etc.

Or just look at the over the top defense of apples questionable decisions. - Thinness, bending, led light, small screens etc etc. Features that don't really have a right or wrong answer, yet ifans will defend whatever apple does.
Click to expand...


Yup, Apple fanboyism at its best.
 
TraceyS/FL said:
Security.

Personally I wouldn't trust/use Google Wallet, but that is my own issue.

But I'm growing tired of wondering WHEN, not IF, my card will be hacked somewhere.

I get some people don't care. A lot do.

I work with the public trying to convince then to get cards from a merchant. I hear all day about why people use what they do. Security is currently high on the list... They don't trust anyplace with their info to get a new card. They are using the card they trust the most to catch and fight fraud. People are fed up, a lot have gone back to cash.

It is an interesting study in people each shift.
Click to expand...

This is an answer I can get down with. However having used both iPhones and Android devices I don't know that I trust either company over the other. However I'll say, the only way to be safe with Android is to make sure you only download from a trusted company and make sure it is from the Google Play Store.

I had my bank/check card compromised a few years back and it was being used around Europe for small amounts. Luckily my bank caught this. My question is this because I haven't really looked into it. But how would Apple Pay be more secure than traditional methods. I feel like your info is vulnerable either way.
 
opfreak said:
because apple ifans are snobs.

That apple pay thread is a perfect example. around 7 days ago apple pay went live, a handefull of stores pulled support for it, and they are going nuts, threatening boycotts, loaded up carts at the store and then abandoning then, etc.

Or just look at the over the top defense of apples questionable decisions. - Thinness, bending, led light, small screens etc etc. Features that don't really have a right or wrong answer, yet ifans will defend whatever apple does.
Click to expand...

Or maybe some Apple fans actually want the extra security provided by Apple Pay. Go through the experience of someone stealing your card info and trying to commit fraud, having to get your cards reissued, update the payment information for everything you used to use said card on, etc. and then you might understand the concept a little more.
 
But is contactless credit cards and terminals that rare in the US? The only not widely part of Apple Pay is the digital wallet.
 
CEmajr said:
Or maybe some Apple fans actually want the extra security provided by Apple Pay. Go through the experience of someone stealing your card info and trying to commit fraud, having to get your cards reissued, update the payment information for everything you used to use said card on, etc. and then you might understand the concept a little more.
Click to expand...


This

OP sounds like he's never had to reboot a checking account or renter a cc number across 15 stores or track his credit history on a monthly or weekly basis. This is a big problem that applePay seems poised to fix. A problem so bad that even the promise of a fix has us excited.

OP: who do you think gets affected when the latest retailer gets hacked and half a million cards go belly up?
 
OP, this has almost nothing to do with being a snob. People want to use Apple Pay because it is more secure and more convenient. I don't think most people are "refusing to pay any way other than Apple Pay." I'm pretty sure most of us are still shopping at stores that don't even have NFC terminals. What people are frustrated about are retailers that are disabling NFC for no reason other than to protect a payment method that those retailers are brewing up that is almost certain to be dead on arrival.

The merchants who are disabling NFC are forcing people to use payment methods that are less secure than Apple Pay for no good reason at all. That behavior should be punished by consumers. The only way to properly punish the behavior of a large business is to refuse to give them your money. I definitely do not support those that think knowingly going to CVS, filling up a cart and abandoning it for lack of Apple Pay is an appropriate response as it only conveniences the store employees and upper management will never know anything about it.

I think too many people have forgotten that voting with your wallet when it comes to businesses is a valuable and valid weapon against anti-consumer behaviors and tactics. It's not immature. It's not "being a snob." It's how a free market works, financially rewarding businesses who deserve it and punishing those who don't.
 
OP, Apple Pay is one of the big reasons many people upgraded to iPhone 6. Those that did likely had some vague expectation of never having to use their cards again in the future, and the system works basically as advertised... So there was a short-lived rosy outlook to the whole thing.

Now we find that merchants are actively fighting against it and shutting down their NFC readers, even though places like Best Buy won't even have a competing mobile payment system in place for another 12 months.

So Apple Pay users are frustrated. And, as we all know, there's nothing like a frustrated Apple customer when it comes to bringing out the snobbiness ;)
 
ChrisTX said:
This is an answer I can get down with. However having used both iPhones and Android devices I don't know that I trust either company over the other. However I'll say, the only way to be safe with Android is to make sure you only download from a trusted company and make sure it is from the Google Play Store.

I had my bank/check card compromised a few years back and it was being used around Europe for small amounts. Luckily my bank caught this. My question is this because I haven't really looked into it. But how would Apple Pay be more secure than traditional methods. I feel like your info is vulnerable either way.
Click to expand...

ApplePay is more secure because NONE of your information gets transmitted. A one time transaction number is created for the sale. Your card number, name, zip, pin, address, SSN, none of that is transmitted. The one time number can not be used for any other transaction. In addition no marketing info, what you bought, where you bought it, etc is saved, logged or transmitted. That's why it's safer.

The othe services, are a marketing ploy to collect your buying information and use it to market to you future sales. By their very nature they collect your information. Gimmicks like discounts or rewards are used to entice you. And any system that requires you to provide your credit card number is inherently unsafe.

With the ApplePay system your card info never leaves your phone.
 
Last edited:
Funny reading people say it's more secure. Secure for who? Regardless of who it's more secure for you as a credit card holder if your card gets compromise, your not responsible for single penny regardless of who the responsibility lands on, whether it be the credit card issuer or the merchant.
 
christx said:
don't take this the wrong way, but i've noticed one thing since the introduction of apple pay that didn't seem to be present when there was only google wallet. People have become way too snobbish towards apple pay. Why is everyone getting so bent out of shape when their favorite retailers or even retailers they probably don't shop at in the first place are disabling nfc/apple pay? I get that nfc may or may not be the future of how we pay, but refusing to pay any other way other than apple pay is getting out of hand. Don't you think? Admittedly i've been an android user for the past few years with access to google wallet, but i just don't see the allure of nfc. To me it's almost like a novelty. Maybe i'm the only one? Sorry for the rant, but i'm trying to understand the hype with apple pay. Is there some incentive to this over conventional credit card use? I never use cash if that helps and almost always pay by credit, but i'm trying to see the bigger picture i guess.

Maybe everyone's just excited because this is something new. Perhaps the hype will die down after the "newness" wears off.

/rant over.
Click to expand...


because i care about my privacy!!

Now why should i trust the likes of target,sear,kmart etc, with MY bank account info?? Idk about you but ever since target got hacked i stopped shopping there for good.. Even if they support apple pay or not.
 
I like the privacy of Apple pay. And the convenience of NFC.

Security is important but so is liability.

Techcrunch has a good breakdown of CurrentC.

Talk about a shift of liability. MCX want to link directly to your bank account to cut out credit card fees. If your bank account is compromised it can be like losing a wallet full of cash...too bad.

As mentioned by others, Apple pay solves problems for consumers. Convenience, security, liability.

CurrentC solves problems for retailers.
Saves on CC fees, keeps a steady harvest of consumer data.
 
HEK said:
ApplePay is more secure because NONE of your information gets transmitted. A one time transaction number is created for the sale. Your card number, name, zip, pin, address, SSN, none of that is transmitted. The one time number can not be used for any other transaction. In addition no marketing info, what you bought, where you bought it, etc is saved, logged or transmitted. That's why it's safer.

The othe services, are a marketing ploy to collect your buying information and use it to market to you future sales. By their very nature they collect your information. Gimmicks like discounts or rewards are used to entice you. And any system that requires you to provide your credit card number is inherently unsafe.

With the ApplePay system your card info never leaves your phone.
Click to expand...

This.

Apple Pay is a service that genuinely improves both the shopping experience and the security of transactions.

Companies who actively SWITCH OFF a service that was already set up but hardly ever used, more or less explicitly state that they opt AGAINST both of those criteria, in favor of tracking and marketing.

IOW, they don't give a **** about what might be good for their customers.
 
CoilTap said:
I think too many people have forgotten that voting with your wallet when it comes to businesses is a valuable and valid weapon against anti-consumer behaviors and tactics. It's not immature. It's not "being a snob." It's how a free market works, financially rewarding businesses who deserve it and punishing those who don't.
Click to expand...

I would never change my shopping habits due to them not accepting Apple Pay. You are right about the free market and it will show that not having "some" of the Apple users shop at a certain store who does not use Apple Pay will have little effect.
 
sillywabbit said:
Yup, Apple fanboyism at its best.
Click to expand...

You bet I'm a fan! When a company actually considers my interests above some marketing skeme. When a really secure technique like one time transaction number is used. When NO credit info, name, pin or even what I bought or where is transmitted, then yes I am a major FAN.

So go ahead and make snide idiotic comments all you like, you simply confirm my choices are correct with you feeble attack line. Get some education and perhaps, that's a big perhaps, you can constructively add to the discussion. Otherwise go back to the samcattle site and tell me you failed.
 
Newtons Apple said:
I would never change my shopping habits due to them not accepting Apple Pay. You are right about the free market and it will show that not having "some" of the Apple users shop at a certain store who does not use Apple Pay will have little effect.
Click to expand...

Ok, so Apple Pay and the security that comes with it has lower utility for you. Again - free market.

However, I would suggest that shopping at one drug store versus another is not really changing any habits. There's pretty much always a Walgreens within a block from a CVS. Drug stores are pretty much a commodity, offering the same goods at more or less the same prices. Avoiding CVS isn't really putting much onus on me to change anything.

And regardless of the magnitude of the effect, the effect isn't better if I continue to give my money to a retailer of whose behavior I disapprove.
 
Last edited:
CoilTap said:
Ok, so Apple Pay and the security that comes with it has lower utility for you. Again - free market.

However, I would suggest that shopping at one drug store versus another is not really changing any habits. There's pretty much always a Walgreens within a block from a CVS. Drug stores are pretty much a commodity, offering the same goods at more or less the same prices. Avoiding CVS isn't really putting much onus on me to change anything.
Click to expand...

The reason for most will be which drug store is approved by the health insurance that was forced on them by obamacare. My policy says I must go to CVS who made a deal with BlueCross. I have been using Wallgreens and will continue to do so.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back