Apple Pay Apple Pay in Germany

[PR1985]

Well, there are still four months to go until the end of Q2. So perhaps we're not going to hear anything else for a long time

I`ll ask sunny again on Friday or so. The fire has got to burn, right?

 

[docfred]

I`ll ask sunny again on Friday or so. The fire has got to burn, right?

If I was him, I would not say anything again about this topic, even if I have contacts or think I know something. Circumstances can change, traget dates can be shifted literally in the last 5mins ... you can only lose as some sort of informant.

 

[PR1985]

If I was him, I would not say anything again about this topic, even if I have contacts or think I know something. Circumstances can change, traget dates can be shifted literally in the last 5mins ... you can only lose as some sort of informant.

True. It would be interesting to know, if the problem he mentioned exists or not.

 

[Alanin]

Apple is having the Annual Meeting of Shareholders today... Maybe the European market is more interesting for tonight and not for the earnings call...

 

[docfred]

Would be a nice opportunity but I don‘t expect that there will be anything announced we don’t know already.

On the other hand it is the more appropiate event than a telco between journalists.

 

[PR1985]

Would be a nice opportunity but I don‘t expect that there will be anything announced we don’t know already.

On the other hand it is the more appropiate event than a telco between journalists.

Will it be streamed?

If everything is still "on hold"... No.

 

[Alanin]

Don’t think we will see something AP related today...

 

[zdfbe4ah]

I'm pretty sure a launch of three or more European countries, as rumored, will be announced at an official Apple event. Not during a telco or on a shareholder meeting …

 

[cieoqn]

At the meeting Cook only said "Apple Pay has not replaced cash as aggressively as he would have expected a few years ago, but adoption is picking up, especially outside of the United States."

https://9to5mac.com/2018/02/13/2018-annual-meeting-of-shareholders-recap/

 

[docfred]

As expected.

 

[Mr-Fly]

I have one more year Boon for free, makes it a little bit better to wait ;-)

 

[Menopause]

I have one more year Boon for free, makes it a little bit better to wait ;-)

Could you please explain me in short how Boon works? The app is not available in the German App Store and their website is skimpy on the information. Many thanks

 

[kkrdvc]

Could you please explain me in short how Boon works? The app is not available in the German App Store and their website is skimpy on the information. Many thanks

Well basically, you download the app, register with your real data, German phone number and address. Then you get the prompt to add the card to Apple Pay and that’s it. You now basically have a prepaid MasterCard which you can top up for free with any debit/credit card and by bank transfer. Card top ups are available immediately. You can even use the boon MasterCard for other online payments, you get all the card data in the app.

For the app to work, you just have to set your iPhone Region to Ireland preferably, though other Apple Pay countries work as well. After the initial set up, you can set the country back to Germany.
Preferably, you should also upgrade to boon Plus, the only things it changes is the monthly and yearly top up limits.

 

[Mr-Fly]

Exactly like explained above. But for downloading the app you need to register an Apple ID for Irish AppStore. There is a detail explanation on https://Apfel.cash

 

[Menopause]

Well basically, you download the app, register with your real data, German phone number and address. Then you get the prompt to add the card to Apple Pay and that’s it. You now basically have a prepaid MasterCard which you can top up for free with any debit/credit card and by bank transfer. Card top ups are available immediately. You can even use the boon MasterCard for other online payments, you get all the card data in the app.

For the app to work, you just have to set your iPhone Region to Ireland preferably, though other Apple Pay countries work as well. After the initial set up, you can set the country back to Germany.
Preferably, you should also upgrade to boon Plus, the only things it changes is the monthly and yearly top up limits.

Exactly like explained above. But for downloading the app you need to register an Apple ID for Irish AppStore. There is a detail explanation on https://Apfel.cash

Thanks guys, very kind! Will definitely try it out.

And then, if I understood it right, you can just hold your iPhone or Watch at, say, REWE or Aral, and pay with 'Apple Pay'? Any strings attached?

 

[Mr-Fly]

Yes, it works real easy. On Apple Watch Double tap the side button (not crown!).
On iPhone I think there are two ways, hold it on the payment panel and then Acknoledge with Touch-ID or Face-ID or Double Tab the home button and acknowledge with Touch-ID before you put the phone on the panel.
As it is a prepaid credit card, the risk is in my eyes very low.
Best to charge in my eyes is through another Credit Card (from one of your accounts). the money is right away usable.
The limits you can charge and therefor use with the boon card can be found on the website:
https://www.boonpayment.com/ie/
They differ from Boon Basic and Boon Plus. If you register for Boon Plus I can recommend taking Reisepass as first document and personalausweis for second form of identiy. Its the easiest way if you want boon plus.
boon plus is free for 12 months when registered before 01.04.2018.

 

[docfred]

Prepay a second account, only to use Apple Pay? Always checking the balance and limits and recharge if neccessary? Sorry, is to much ado about nothing for me. Just holding my cards to the terminal and don't care about any balance.

But have fun with it

 

[docfred]

Hmmm. After reading the articles and the script of the meeting yesterday... perhaps the expansion of Apple Pay has been slowed down because it does not match the expectations in the available markets either. So why should Apple start Apple Pay in a market like Germany, which could be the most difficult market for it anway. Low market share for Apple, cash oriented customers, strong banks, lower fees for cashless payments to share.

Any opinion on that topic?

 

[4254126]

Prepay a second account, only to use Apple Pay? Always checking the balance and limits and recharge if neccessary? Sorry, is to much ado about nothing for me. Just holding my cards to the terminal and don't care about any balance.

But have fun with it

No need to prepay, you can also set it up to just take the money from your dedicated credit card. So I don't need to worry about anything But to each his own!

So why should Apple start Apple Pay in a market like Germany, which could be the most difficult market for it anway. Low market share for Apple, cash oriented customers, strong banks, lower fees for cashless payments to share.

I don't think that matters all too much, maybe their expectations were just a lot higher. If you think about all the institutions, retailers, issuers etc. that you need to bring on board, Apple Pay isn't doing that badly! Just because something is slow to develop, that doesn't mean you stop bringing it to market. Apple Pay in Europe is still essential for Apple, so that they actually have a foot in the door. It will become more attractive with increased features and development and when time comes for a retailer to replace their old tills, they'll get new ones with Apple Pay / NFC included. It's a long and slow process, but that doesn't mean Apple will just stop developing it. By the way there are enough competitors that would be ready to take up a fight (Payback Pay, Alipay and whatever the rest are called). Let's be honest: Even with Apple Pay we will all still be carrying our wallets with our drivers licence, railcard, passport/id and cash + cards for those places it doesn't work. The real dream is one day all you need is your watch/phone and you have all of that on your device.

And also interesting: A study for the Deutsche Bundesbank was released on payment methods and another released on how people pay by card/contactless. Payback Pay was rated as fairly popular and well known, while Apple Pay was hardly mentioned. I bet that's only because Payback Pay is actually publicly advertised and officially available. Apple needs to barge in the payment market one way or another in the long run!

 

[-Maxim-]

Let's be honest: Even with Apple Pay we will all still be carrying our wallets with our drivers licence, railcard, passport/id and cash + cards for those places it doesn't work.

I am challenging that for quite some time now. Since I lived abroad for some time where everything can be paid with card and then moved back to Germany about 5 years ago, I only have one of those "card" wallets that hold 6 cards and some bills:
ID, driver's license and health insurance card on one side and credit card, debit card and girocard on the other side.
Since I sold my car last year and only take my bike to work plus public transportation, I got rid of the driver's license and leave it at home ("Bahncard"/railcard is in the app). Health insurance is only needed when you go to the doc. Credit card is only needed when I travel. Debit card got replaced by ApplePay and I have to keep the girocard because of silly Germany and some random stores. --> Only ID and girocard left. Not too bad.
Before you ask: I do have an emergency 20€ bill in that wallet but rarely need it. If I go out at night, I usually take another bill with me.
I can get cash via N26 app ("Cash26") at every Rewe, Penny, Budni, etc. and with the girocard at night.
The coins that I would get in return if I had to use cash, I either tip them, donate them or throw them into the "Kaffeekasse" at work.
It's possible to leave the house without a wallet since you don't need to bring your ID

 

[MLVC]

I am challenging that for quite some time now. Since I lived abroad for some time where everything can be paid with card and then moved back to Germany about 5 years ago, I only have one of those "card" wallets that hold 6 cards and some bills:
ID, driver's license and health insurance card on one side and credit card, debit card and girocard on the other side.
Since I sold my car last year and only take my bike to work plus public transportation, I got rid of the driver's license and leave it at home ("Bahncard"/railcard is in the app). Health insurance is only needed when you go to the doc. Credit card is only needed when I travel. Debit card got replaced by ApplePay and I have to keep the girocard because of silly Germany and some random stores. --> Only ID and girocard left. Not too bad.
Before you ask: I do have an emergency 20€ bill in that wallet but rarely need it. If I go out at night, I usually take another bill with me.
I can get cash via N26 app ("Cash26") at every Rewe, Penny, Budni, etc. and with the girocard at night.
The coins that I would get in return if I had to use cash, I either tip them, donate them or throw them into the "Kaffeekasse" at work.
It's possible to leave the house without a wallet since you don't need to bring your ID

I thought you have to have ID on you in Germany?

 

[Shoju]

At the meeting Cook only said "Apple Pay has not replaced cash as aggressively as he would have expected a few years ago, but adoption is picking up, especially outside of the United States."

https://9to5mac.com/2018/02/13/2018-annual-meeting-of-shareholders-recap/

Maybe he particularly looked to Germany with that statement...
The story about Germans and their love for ‘Bargeld’ (cash) will never get old I guess. But this recent study shows that while cash is still the most popular way to pay in Germany, payments via credit/debit/bank cards combined with online payments have surpassed cash payments by now. It seems there is a steady growth of payments made *not* with cash nowadays. Interesting...
https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/heut...-zum-zahlungsverhalten-der-deutschen-104.html

 

[4254126]

I thought you have to have ID on you in Germany?

You have to by law, yes... Poland are launching a project with a goal to have a digital ID and drivers licence in some sort of app... It'll be interesting to see how that works out...

Either way a small wallet with my ID etc. and my iPhone for payment would be good enough. I just hate all those small coins...

 

[docfred]

I thought you have to have ID on you in Germany?

Jepp. You must have one. But you don't have to carry it around with you all the time. If you want, you can leave it at your home or somewhere else.

But it's always a good idea to have it with you. Most people will carry a wallet anyways ... for driving licsense, health insurance card etc. Don't think many people will leave their wallets at home, if they can pay with smartphones in a few months.

 

[-Maxim-]

I thought you have to have ID on you in Germany?

I thought so too for a long time but I recently learned, that we don't have to have it with us at all times (exceptions apply of course). We have to own a ID/passport (=Ausweispflicht) but there's no "Mitführpflicht".
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ausweispflicht

Für Deutsche besteht nach § 1 Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG) eine Ausweispflicht ab dem vollendeten 16. Lebensjahr. Wer gegen diese Pflicht verstößt, also weder einen gültigen Personalausweis noch einen gültigen Reisepass (als Alternative gemäß § 1 Abs. 2 Satz 3 PAuswG) besitzt, handelt ordnungswidrig und kann nach § 32 Personalausweisgesetz mit einem Bußgeld bis zu 5000 Euro belegt werden. Eine gesetzliche Mitführpflicht besteht jedoch nur in Ausnahmefällen, zum Beispiel für Arbeitnehmer bestimmter Branchen während ihrer Arbeitszeit zur Verhinderung illegaler Beschäftigung[3] und für Waffenträger.[4]

I guess it's better to have it with you in case you get checked but such a check is rare (if you're white...). In the worst case, the police takes you to the station/accompany you home and you have to find a way to provide your ID.