HSBC bows out of Apple Pay launch as Barclays vows future support
It seems Apple Pay's UK debut didn't go off without a hitch on Tuesday, as HSBC customers are not able to use service despite the bank's status as an official launch partner. In a related development, Barclays did an about face and announced upcoming support for Apple's contactless payment solution.
Shortly after Apple Pay launched in the UK, customers of HSBC and its First Direct internet banking arm expressed disappointment that their accounts were not among the first to boast compatibility with Apple's touchless payment tech, reports The Telegraph. The bank has more than 16 million customers in the region.
HSBC was originally advertised on Apple's regional webpage as one of eight launch partners, but that has since changed. Bank representatives answering an outpouring of customer concern on Twitter said support is "launching soon," while others narrowed down the timeframe to sometime in July. Ironically, virtual HSBC cards still show up prominently on Apple's promotional Apple Pay screenshots for the UK market.
As HSBC comes under fire, competing bank Barclays also took to Twitter to announce future Apple Pay support for debit cards and Barclaycard credit cards. Last month, the bank said it was conducting "constructive" talks with Apple, but fell short of announcing a solid commitment. At the time, the decision was attributed to Barclays' investment in its own bPay contactless payment initiative.
Despite Barclays' Twitter overtures, however, the bank has yet to show up on Apple's official list of partner banks, which currently lists Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S and TSB as "coming soon." The second wave of UK bank support is expected to hit in fall.
Shortly after Apple Pay launched in the UK, customers of HSBC and its First Direct internet banking arm expressed disappointment that their accounts were not among the first to boast compatibility with Apple's touchless payment tech, reports The Telegraph. The bank has more than 16 million customers in the region.
HSBC was originally advertised on Apple's regional webpage as one of eight launch partners, but that has since changed. Bank representatives answering an outpouring of customer concern on Twitter said support is "launching soon," while others narrowed down the timeframe to sometime in July. Ironically, virtual HSBC cards still show up prominently on Apple's promotional Apple Pay screenshots for the UK market.
As HSBC comes under fire, competing bank Barclays also took to Twitter to announce future Apple Pay support for debit cards and Barclaycard credit cards. Last month, the bank said it was conducting "constructive" talks with Apple, but fell short of announcing a solid commitment. At the time, the decision was attributed to Barclays' investment in its own bPay contactless payment initiative.
Despite Barclays' Twitter overtures, however, the bank has yet to show up on Apple's official list of partner banks, which currently lists Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S and TSB as "coming soon." The second wave of UK bank support is expected to hit in fall.
Comments
Hardly the most controversial thing HSBC has done...
If they just said something like "There's a technical fault that we can't resolve straight away, but are determined to fix this ASAP" I'd be happy. But instead they are acting like "later in July" was always the case.
If those banks in the "Coming Soon" category wish to keep their customers it appears soon needs to be very very soon indeed!
Wow, I'm amazed people are switching banks just to use Apple Pay.
If those banks in the "Coming Soon" category wish to keep their customers it appears soon needs to be very very soon indeed!
Not really that surprising.
Banks are a much of a muchness in this country; there's not much that separates one from the other. We also have a switching scheme that makes it a lot easier to move your standing orders and direct debits to your new account once it's up and running.
Right now, something like Apple Pay is a real differentiator. Not supporting could be a big mistake. I know a few people who have already switched from Barclays, even though they knew support was coming.
^ Their most affluent customers will not be using Apple Pay. Doubtful their most affluent customers ever have to pay for anything at a register.
I'm an irritated HSBC customer. Not by the lack of support, but by the lack of information.
If they just said something like "There's a technical fault that we can't resolve straight away, but are determined to fix this ASAP" I'd be happy. But instead they are acting like "later in July" was always the case.
Oh make no mistake about it. Technical issues have nothing to do with it. It’s all about the money, the fees and how big a cut Apple gets for being the middle man. Credit and debit card issuers love the processing fees while merchants hate them. Big box stores like Walmart hate the fees so much they created CurrentC to bypass credit and debit cards and go directly to the customer’s bank account.
Processing fees is the driving force behind ALL of this.
http://blogs.channel4.com/geoff-white-on-technology/apple-pay-profits/1807
[QUOTE]Knowing your purchase history allows companies like Apple to build up a profile of your habits. Not only can they use that data to target their own products at you, they can sell it to others to help them target you too (it’d be fascinating to know exactly what deal Apple has cut with Visa and Mastercard, and how much information the credit card companies are going to share with the tech giant).[/QUOTE]
I see it didn't take long for the UK media to start spreading misinformation about ?Pay.
http://blogs.channel4.com/geoff-white-on-technology/apple-pay-profits/1807
Wow, that's unbelievable, thanks for the link.
Post a comment on the blog. I have.
I see it didn't take long for the UK media to start spreading misinformation about ?Pay.
http://blogs.channel4.com/geoff-white-on-technology/apple-pay-profits/1807
Yes. I always make a concerted effort to NEVER click on any Apple articles from UK news outlets. It's a country so steeped in yellow journalism. (yep, even worse than US).
It's like National Enquirer style of journalism is legitimized over there.
This misinformed chap should receive a reply from each and every one of us to set him straight. ????
Yes. I always make a concerted effort to NEVER click on any Apple articles from UK news outlets. It's a country so steeped in yellow journalism. (yep, even worse than US).
It's like National Enquirer style of journalism is legitimized over there.
I wouldn't say that's true at all, quite the opposite. What is different is that each publication has their own "bias" and there are multiple publications available to every person in the country regardless location, whereas in the US you are stuck with your local paper (usually conservative drivel), or USA Today (gasp!), or something like the NYTimes (other side of gasp!) - in reality, there are no (so to speak) national publications and certainly no spectrum of views. In the UK, while there may be some regional variations, they are all national publications and they cover the entire spectrum. What this means is that in each location you have a choice of publications, based on what "slant" you want. It's not the case in the US where your choice is dictated for you and you take what you are offered or you get nothing.
Discourse here in the UK, especially in print, is far greater than in the US, plus for broadcast since the BBC (though far from perfect) doesn't have to deal with advertisers or other corporate or other such sponsors, who we all know control editorial, news is far less censored than in the US and thus I have found, the standard is much higher than in the US. I'm actually constantly amazed when I speak with my friends in the US the huge number of stories that go simply unreported or, even worse, misreported, yet are simple staples for us living in the UK.
Not sure where you got that impression, but for me it simply doesn't ring as true.