In my opinion, Apple's opening of the NFC interface for alternative payment systems is long overdue. It would have saved me a lot of headaches, because the topic of “Apple Pay” has been on my mind for a long time.
It started like this:In 2018, Apple introduced its payment service in Germany and I had to wait five years until my bank took the plunge and supported the service.
Postbank had resisted this for a long time and wanted to push its own payment system instead. This particularly annoyed me because at the beginning of Apple Pay in 2018, I didn't even have bank cards with the wireless payment function.
I was left behind by technology
In the supermarket, the people around me could pay wirelessly, whether with a card or cell phone. I, on the other hand, was forced to insert my card into the terminal and sometimes sign the receipt.
As a technology fan, I found this to be backwards and I looked enviously towards Android, where, for example, paying via PayPal via Google Pay was not an issue at all.
In 2023, Postbank was one of the last banks to bow to the US giant and has since supported the payment service, provided a (paid) credit card is available.
My bank is there, but I'm still not satisfied
Status now:So I can now use Apple Pay. But I'm not satisfied because two fundamental things bother me:
- My credit card, which I need for Apple Pay, costs me additional money.
- Not all stores or establishments accept payment by credit card. I still have to pull out my Girocard (commonly still known as an EC card) at the recycling center in the neighboring town.
Some banks such as Sparkasse or Commerzbank already support the use of their own Girocards with Apple Pay. However, this is currently more of an exception than the rule and is not the case at Postbank.
EU regulations fuel my hopes for alternatives
But that could finally change soon. The EU has pushed Apple to open its own NFC interface to other providers and to use the Norwegian payment app »Whoops“There is now a first competitor for Apple Pay in Norway that supports payment via NFC.
I very much hope that German banks will soon follow suit. Then I wouldn't have to rely on Apple Pay at all, but could use my bank's payment system to make purchases with my cell phone.
My hope now is:
- I will soon have the opportunity to use my Girocard to pay.
- I can cancel my credit card, which I don't need anyway apart from Apple Pay.
Yes: Of course I could also just change banks. But I'm a creature of habit and don't want to have to change my stored account details everywhere.
I would also have a loss of convenience with an Apple Pay alternative
In addition to the positive aspects mentioned, I would also have perceived disadvantages in everyday life, at least if I said goodbye to my credit card and therefore Apple Pay.
I've now gotten used to using Apple Pay online. Two clicks on the power button and I have paid for my order - it's even faster than with PayPal and Co.
If I were to forego Apple Pay entirely, I would be denied this small advantage. But good – in principle, a PayPal payment can be made in just a few seconds.
What do you think about opening the iPhone payment system? Does it not matter to you since your bank provides a free credit card or maybe even supports EC payments? Or do you, like me, welcome the possibility of being able to use an alternative to Apple Pay? Please let me know your opinion in the comments.
