Google racing to sign up Australian businesses for their payment system, just to lockout ApplePay

[the8thark]

Google beats Apple in signing up dozens of banks, retailers for contactless payments in Australia
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/dig...s-payments-in-australia-20151216-glomjd.html?

If you believe the article, Westpac, Coles and others have been poached by Google for their payment system. A shame really as Apple Pay seems to work and is secure. I an rather disappoinrted in this.
This is typical Google though, racing to get all the businesses here just because they know Apple is coming. Google are only here to prevent Apple, not because they want to provide Australia with a good service.

 

[roadbloc]

Meh. Everyone just uses their cards still anyway. I work in a petrol station at the moment and not had a single person pay with their phone. Might be just a UK thing since we already had contactless built into our cards, not sure.

 

[maflynn]

Google are only here to prevent Apple,

Yep, and that's basic business, nothing wrong with that.

Looks like google caught apple flat footed by failing to attract much interest, Google was savvy enough to sign those that Apple couldn't.

 

[the8thark]

Yep, and that's basic business, nothing wrong with that.

Looks like google caught apple flat footed by failing to attract much interest, Google was savvy enough to sign those that Apple couldn't.

That's fair enough. Business is business. I don't think Apple is seeing Australia as an Apple Pay market yet. Google obviously did and struck the first blow. Nothing inherently wrong about this.

My question is, is Apple even worried about this or just Apple just not care that Google is racing to take over Australia in this market?

 

[maflynn]

My question is, is Apple even worried about this or just Apple just not care that Google is racing to take over Australia in this market?

I can't answer that, but they'd be foolish to ignore the market. I think they were trying to drive some hard terms and the banks didn't feel any need or pressure to bow to Apple's terms. Google came a long with amore generous terms and beat apple out.

Google is willing to cut profit margins in the name of marketshare. Apple is all about profits and not market share.

 

[kdarling]

If you believe the article, Westpac, Coles and others have been poached by Google for their payment system.

"Poached" and "lockout" are the wrong words, as the banks are free to make a deal with Apple as well.

What the article said was that Google "beat" Apple to signing up those banks. As in being first, not only.

A shame really as Apple Pay seems to work and is secure. I an rather disappoinrted in this.

Android Pay uses tokens as well. Android users are also the majority in Australia.

This is typical Google though, racing to get all the businesses here just because they know Apple is coming. Google are only here to prevent Apple, not because they want to provide Australia with a good service.

See above. The only thing that's stopping Apple in places like Canada and Australia, is its own greed. Apple wants money for providing access to its users (talk about customers being the product!) and they want detailed statistics sent back about the purchases.

Payment industry insiders say that US banks think that they goofed up; that mobile wallets likely need them more than they need to be on the wallets. Without banks, payment systems have no credence or acceptance.

Reportedly the initial US Apple Pay contracts were for three years. There's less than two years left, and it's predicted that after the contracts end, Apple will either have to drop the fees dramatically or entirely, or lose banks.

 

[Tech198]

Who's to say Apple pay may not already come... They have both in the U.S even though most use iPhones.

We may have less iPhone uses here in Australia, but that's no reason not to offer a choice.

Westpac has already said they'd be offering Apple Pay anyway. so i don't believe this article. anything to ruff up the feathers in the media..

No one only trusts sources anymore. we see some garbage on a media site, and jump "oh crap.... it's been changed.."

Maybe lives are just too exciting to even check.

 

[kdarling]

Westpac has already said they'd be offering Apple Pay anyway.

Source?

Even though a year ago when AP first came out, Westpac tweeted that they would support it, they've backed way off from that since.

Currently, not even Westpac AMEX cards work with Apple Pay.

Westpac and other Australian banks have spent years building up contactless payments and apps, and they have no desire to give Apple money simply because Apple wants to come in late and take a cut of others' hard work.

 

[maflynn]

Even though a year ago when AP first came out, Westpac tweeted that they would support it, they've backed way off from that since.

That's my understanding as well. They mentioned that they'll be embracing Apple Pay then back peddled a little while later. I hadn't heard them supporting apple pay, but then I'm not following that topic too close any longer.

 

[Tech198]

Source?

Even though a year ago when AP first came out, Westpac tweeted that they would support it, they've backed way off from that since.

Currently, not even Westpac AMEX cards work with Apple Pay.

Westpac and other Australian banks have spent years building up contactless payments and apps, and they have no desire to give Apple money simply because Apple wants to come in late and take a cut of others' hard work.

Gave westpac an email... They did reply they didn't have any information on this. However i did see it on the site thy were going to support Apple pay.