According to theguardian.com, TfL advises users that, as with other smartphone payment systems including EE’s Cash on Tap, Apple Pay only works if a device has power. It warns that, if the battery runs out in the middle of a journey, a user will not be able to tap out, which means they could be charged a maximum fare.
TfL also lists having both an iPhone and an Apple Watch as a potential issue – with a risk of being charged twice. It also warns that receiving a call while attempting to touch into or out of the gates will also cause issues, and that users with multiple cards on their account must remember to use the same one or potentially be charged twice.
For overseas travellers using Apple Pay, TfL warns it may not work and that users could be charged currency conversion fees.
Another problem with smartphone payment systems on public transport is the speed with which they operate. One of the biggest obstacles holding back contactless credit cards and smartphones with near field communication chips from being used on the London Underground was the time it took for the system to authenticate the user and open the gates.
Oyster cards operate at sub-second times, which are faster than paper tickets and contactless cards. Apple Pay and other smartphone systems operate at a rate that is slightly slower than contactless cards, if they are pre-authorised.
For the iPhone that means selecting the correct card and having authenticated it with a fingerprint before touching it on the card reader, which has led to irate commuters and queues at the gates.
Every day we send out a free e-mail with the most important headlines of the last 24 hours.
Subscribe now