Recently, Apple Pay launched in the United Kingdom. It’s the first international launch for Apple’s mobile payment option, but for some users it has led to confusion and frustration.
Apple Pay is less than a week old in the United Kingdom, and for the early adopters using the London Underground, some confusion is arising. As Mashable reports, there are some issues in the way that Apple Pay fundamentally functions, and the way that the Tube takes payment and even tickets the riders. As the report indicates, there are several different requirements that the Transport for London has outlined for passengers, some that are obvious and some that aren’t.
The most obvious requirement is that the Apple Pay device not only works as the device paying for the ticket, but also serves as the ticket itself for the passenger going on their trip. So, Transport for London notes that the owners should make sure that their device is charged, and will remain powered on until the end of the trip, as the passenger must use their digital ticket as a means to tap out of the journey, as a final price can be populated. If the device is dead and the passenger can’t use it, the Transport of London may charge much for the ticket than what the journey originally would have cost.
Also, if the ticket can’t be read, an inspector on the Tube may charge up to £80 in penalties for not having an accessible ticket on the journey.
One of the more unknown issues comes from the way that Apple Pay functions, with assigning a different number to the attached card for each device that uses Apple Pay to buy something. Transport for London notes that a passenger that buys a ticket with Apple Pay should use the same device to tap out at the end of the journey, as Transport for London requires the same payment method that’s attached to the paperless transaction in an attempt to avoid any incomplete trips.
Rules that are already in place, or even newly established rules, might contrast the functionality and security of Apple Pay, and especially with a service that’s only four days old, there’s going to be some growing pains.
If you’re in London, have you noticed any of these situations?
[via Mashable]
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