Commuters on the F1 Manly to Circular Quay ferry first to tap into contactless ticketing on one of Sydney’s most iconic routes — Mastercard — “Paying for a ferry ride is now as easy as tap-and-go, as Mastercard and Transport for NSW bring contactless ticketing payment to Sydney Ferries… In an Australian first, commuters can use their Mastercard contactless card or mobile wallets that have enabled Mastercard cards to tap on.”
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N26 will bring Apple Pay to customers in Spain later this year
N26 will bring Apple Pay to customers in Spain later this year — N26 — “Later this year, N26 will bring Apple Pay, which is transforming mobile payments with an easy, secure and private way to pay that’s fast and convenient, to customers in Spain. N26 is proud to bring Apple Pay to Spain. Supporting Apple Pay is another example of the innovation for which N26 is so well known.”
Citi Pay launches in the US
Citi Pay launches in the US — Citi — “Online and in-app purchases will be enabled through Citi’s integration of Masterpass… For Android users, the digital wallet also enables Citi cardholders to make in-store purchases by tapping their Android mobile devices at any NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminal… In 2016, Citi Pay launched in Singapore, Australia and Mexico with tap and pay capabilities.”
Over 20 financial institutions in the US, Europe add support for Apple Pay
Over 20 financial institutions in the US, Europe add support for Apple Pay — Apple Insider — “Apple added another 22 banks and credit unions to its roster of Apple Pay-supporting institutions in the United States, with the new additions to the collection joined by a number of European institutions… The latest batch of institutions to join the Apple Pay support page are, like the last update, made up of regional banks and credit unions.”
More than 30m journeys made using NFC mobile phones across London in the last 12 months
More than 31m journeys have been made using NFC mobile phones across Transport for London’s (TfL) network in the last 12 months, the transport operator has revealed... More
Ticketmaster will soon admit you to events using audio data transmitted from your phone
Ticketmaster will soon admit you to events using audio data transmitted from your phone — VentureBeat — “Ticketmaster will soon be able to admit you to live events and track your movement using nothing more than a discrete digital audio broadcast from your smartphone… The ticketing giant has teamed up with Lisnr, a data-over-audio company that uses an ultrasonic sound technology it calls ‘smart tones’ to transmit information between devices.”
Open Banking launches account information and payment initiation API specifications
Open Banking launches account information and payment initiation API specifications — Open Banking — “The payments initiation API will enable third parties to set up secure payments on behalf of customers and, once authorised by the customer, submit the payment for processing. The specification currently caters for the submission of a single, immediate, domestic payment from UK personal and business current accounts and is payment scheme agnostic.”
LG Pay to be used for low-budget smartphones next year
LG Pay to be used for low-budget smartphones next year — Korea Herald — “‘We will expand the use of LG Pay into low-budget smartphones alongside premium phones next year,’ Cho Jun-ho, president of LG’s mobile communication division said during a meeting with local bloggers on Friday… Cho said the use of LG Pay will expand into online stores and the global market, although he did not elaborate the specific date.”
Alibaba challenges Google, Amazon with new Echo-like device
Alibaba challenges Google, Amazon with new Echo-like device — Bloomberg — “Importantly, the gadget — powered by the AliGenie system — may eventually simplify shopping for the Chinese e-commerce giant’s 450 million active buyers who turn to the website for everything from cherries to makeup. It will begin formal sales from August 8 only for China and won’t come with a display.”
Tesco brings mobile and contactless rewards to millions of UK supermarket shoppers
UK-based supermarket giant Tesco has launched a contactless version of its Clubcard reward scheme that lets customers “simply tap at the checkout to add their points”... More
In China, Amazon’s ‘store of the future’ is already open
In China, Amazon’s ‘store of the future’ is already open — Tech In Asia — “This is a typical Bingobox store… A shopper opens the door – and registers with the startup – through WeChat, the popular messaging app… The customer has to scan each item’s barcode. And then pay on their phone, either via WeChat or Alibaba’s mobile wallet app, Alipay. As you leave the store, a camera checks you’re taking out only the stuff you paid for.”
Galeries Lafayette opens NFC digital showrooms for handbags
French department store chain Galeries Lafayette has added a digital showroom for leather goods at its La Rochelle and Cannes stores, allowing shoppers to place handbags that interest them on a dedicated table where NFC tags attached to the products are used to bring up information, options and checkout details... More
Edinburgh Tattoo to accept WeChat Pay
Traditional annual Scottish tourism highlight The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is to get a very modern twist from 2018 with the addition of support for Chinese internet giant Tencent’s WeChat Pay mobile payments platform, enabling the growing number of visitors from China who attend the event to purchase tickets, merchandise and other services from their smartphones. More
Sony’s semi-smartwatch now has a smaller version and a leather strap with NFC
Sony’s semi-smartwatch now has a smaller version and a leather strap with NFC — The Verge — “Sony is also launching a new leather strap in all three sizes — you lose the steel band’s notification functionality, but it still has NFC — and is starting to sell the steel band separately as well for people who want to mix and match… The Three Hands Square “head” and steel band will go on sale later this month, but the leather bands won’t be available until late December.”
Apple Pay purchases trigger donations to US national parks
Apple is donating a dollar to the National Park Foundation for every purchase made with Apple Pay at any Apple Store across the US, on the company’s website or through the Apple Store app until July 15 in support of the country’s national parks... More
GlobalPlatform simplifies management of privacy-enhanced identity documents
GlobalPlatform simplifies management of privacy-enhanced identity documents — GlobalPlatform — “GlobalPlatform has published its Card Privacy Framework and Privacy-Enhanced ID Configuration. The technology helps governments and identity issuers to enable state of the art privacy and security for smart card based digital identity programs, like e-passports, driving licenses and e-ID documents.”
ACCC to question Apple on Westpac chat app payments ban
ACCC to question Apple on Westpac chat app payments ban — Australian Financial Review — “Technology giant Apple’s controversial decision to order Westpac Banking Corporation to disable a mobile banking feature that let customers make payments in chat apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger has caught the attention of Australia’s competition watchdog, amid concerns it could be attempting to remove rivals to its own upcoming service.”
Scotiabank adds multi-loyalty programs to mobile banking apps
Customers of Canada’s Scotiabank can now add, access and track their loyalty cards from 18 different programs using the bank’s mobile banking and My Mobile Wallet apps, which have been integrated with “multi-loyalty program functionality” supplied by loyalty network Points... More
Urban Airship analysis of retailers’ mobile wallet coupons and loyalty cards reveals widespread peer-to-peer sharing
Urban Airship analysis of retailers’ mobile wallet coupons and loyalty cards reveals widespread peer-to-peer sharing — Urban Airship — “Analysis of more than one million Apple Wallet coupons and loyalty cards of major retail brands shows that for every mobile wallet pass a customer installs, it is shared and added to 3.3 other mobile devices on average… More than three-quarters of retailers’ installed passes were the result of sharing versus being created and distributed through their marketing channels.”
Brewery puts NFC tags in beer coasters in San Diego pub
Customers of US brewery Amplified Ale Works can now tap their NFC smartphones on beer coasters around the chain’s San Diego brewpub to go to a landing page where they can order Amplified beer online for home delivery... More