Apple is reportedly planning to launch Apple Pay in Canada, its first expansion of the payments service outside the U.S., this fall, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The company is reportedly in talks with banks for a launch as soon as November:
The company is in negotiations with Canada’s six biggest banks about a potential November launch of the service which would enable mobile payments for both credit and debit cards using iPhones and the forthcoming Apple Watch, those people said.
We reported earlier this year that Apple was in talks with Canadian partners and was originally shooting for a launch earlier in the year. The Wall Street Journal notes, however, that negotiations have been held up due to the fact banks “aren’t happy with Apple’s fee proposals and are concerned about security vulnerabilities like the ones that U.S. banks experienced as they rolled out the service.” For those reasons, the banks are reportedly looking into implementing their own security protocol for Apple Pay:
Canadian banks want Apple Pay to work in a way that requires a “secondary authentication” to verify customer information before cards can be used with the phones. That means that a consumer could be required to enter a PIN, log-on to a mobile banking app or use a one-time passcode sent via text message before cards can be used on Apple Pay, those people said.
Canadian banks reportedly in talks with Apple include Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and National Bank of Canada, according to the report.
Earlier this year there were several hints at Apple’s plans for an international expansion of Apple Pay, including job listings for the service in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Asia. Other reports pointed to an expansion into the UK planned for sometime in the first half of this year.
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Why so far away :(
On the plus side though, for once banks are being smart if they did infant have those suggestions. I am very surprised it is not Apple that wanted something like that implemented.
Having secondary authentication will strengthen, what is currently the weakest point in the Apple Pay System.
Will this now pave the way for Apple Pay to enter Europe?
When you say Europe, which of the 50 countries do you mean?
I presume he means “any of the 50 countries”.
Right – sorry.
Europe is a continent not a country. Canada is a completely different country to the 50 countries in Europe, so no it won’t make any difference. The UK getting ApplePay will make no difference to France/Germany/Italy or any other country getting it because they have separate banking systems.
I’m looking forward to this implementation in Canada. I’ve noticed that us Canadians generally have been more progressive than the US with implementing contactless payments – I’ve been able to just swipe my credit card over an NFC terminal for a couple of years now… no signature required. Adding Apple Pay will just be another way to do this. Albeit a really clever way, and a way I want to be able to use.
Am I wrong? Has the US been adopting contactless payments more recently?
Exactly my observation. Not really. I was in the US this week. They still ask you to sign!! What’s this? 1995?
wow finally! long overdue, we have all the terminals in place already.
agreed! Looking forward to carrying around less plastic for sure!
Canada is already far more advanced than other countries when it comes to payments systems with terminals. We currently, in Canada, already have the same concept of touch payments. We got rid of most of the swipe and sign slips years ago and are now at PIN chips of Tab (touch) payments. The costs of putting the concept in Canada would be minimal and rollout would happen very quickly. Explaining our payment system to a store clerk in New York in November he noticed we were probably 10 years ahead of the United States.
Indeed. The thing I’m curious about how it’s going to shake out is that the chip and PIN is so quick and easy that I’m not sure Apple Pay will be actually better in many respects.
For instance with Apple Pay, you can’t tip, you get no receipt, and you don’t really even see the amount. With chip and PIN, it’s just as secure, almost as easy, to get to see how much you paid, you get to tip, and you get a paper receipt if you want it.
The lack of a tipping option is especially problematic since most of my purchases would be in places where I’m expected to leave a tip. I think if Apple Pay catches on, you will see a lot of places going the European way and including the gratuity automatically.
You punch in all of the tip information at any place that does accept them before using a card though. The subtotal + tip are calculated, then you input your card. You can still get a paper receipt too.
So yes, you can tip with it. My US friends do it all the time when eating out with me while visiting Canada.
…. so basically 1 year and 2 months past the release of the iPhone 6, where a major selling point (for me) of the device was the ability to use apple pay…. meanwhile, the US branches for 3 of those banks (RBC, TD and BMO) already use apple pay. happy to hear that gears are turning, just a little peeved that it isn’t sooner.
If there is one thing I can say I dislike about Apple is how they still haven’t launched Apple Pay worldwide as well as Apple Radio, I know it’s hard to negotiate deals with other companies and they want really good deals, especially on a worldwide basis, but still, why can’t I use all the functionalities on my iPhone just because I live in Europe!
Not gonna lie: really excited about being able to use my phone w/ ApplePay.
Let’s see how the retailers respond to this!
Finally, some more concrete news! November’s much further away than I would have liked, but to be honest, it sounds like the estimation Uber’s been having to try and get back into Vancouver, so it would really give a 1-2 kick to the watch for those who wait.
I’m glad to hear most of the major banks are in collaboration as well. I’m with CIBC, but a lot of people in this area are on TD, RBC and BMO as well.
My only confusion with Apple Pay to date has been this: Canadian banks want to implement a secondary authentication system. When Apple Pay was first announced in its respective keynote, didn’t Eddy Cue specifically indicate that to authorize cards for it, you’d have to go into the bank and authenticate it the first time? Was this step actually dropped in the States?
Either way, I might as my US friends to get me a decent sized Wells Fargo prepaid VISA to use until then. I do make a decent number of trips across the border and could even use the cards there.
Uber is a horrible company. You should hope it never comes to Vancouver. With any luck our (slightly) stronger labour laws will keep it out.
If you have a better alternative to taxis, I’d love to hear it. My experiences with Uber have been nothing but stellar.
How is Uber a horrible company? Have you ever ridden an Uber back car? Did you have a bad experience? Did the driver give you an attitude for not tipping enough? Did the seats have cigg and puke stains from past Friday night? Was the Uber driver constantly talking on his cellphone to his friends and family? Was he speeding and making illegal turns?
How are Vancouver’s tougher labour laws going to get you a better cab ride experience?
Humour the rest of us please.
@ Thomas Yoon & kapupu: I said they were an awful *company*. This has nothing to do with whether your last Uber ride was clean or whether it made you feel cool to ride that way.
Check out the company and you will find underhanded business practices of all kinds, poor security, huge lapses in privacy and personal data security, poor treatment of workers, as well as numerous rapes, assaults, lawsuits, and the destruction of the job security and income of all those working class stiffs that drive taxis. The CEO is a big time a-hole, and the list of horrible things they have done to date is pretty much endless.
About the only good thing you can say about Uber is that the concept is (currently) “cool.” If that, and the fact that you got pampered last time you rode is all you care about, then I feel sorry for you.
I’d write a long detailed retort to your comment, but I can sum it up with this: welcome to the business world. Every large company has issues, unforeseen circumstances, CEOs focused on making money first, and buried histories.
From your history on here, I’m going to assume you just want to complain about something, but if not, I’d suggest dwelling in the woods and hunting for supplies from nature. No company you’re associating with is clean.
@Gazoo Bee: You’re beginning to sound more and more ridiculous. So what you’re saying is that Vancouver’s tough labour laws shouldn’t allow Uber to operate here because they are a terrible employer? Have you ever worked cab company before? Do you have *any* idea how cab companies treat their employees? Have you ever worked for a private firm before? Have you ever held a job…ever? All businesses have those issues and vices. Most companies are set up to aggressively drive profit, the ones that don’t, just disappear.
Your comments @Gazoo Bee aren’t making any sense. Are you just one of those complainers that like to nag and say ‘nay’ to everything until you’re the last one left to accept change?
Didn’t mean to troll, but take a moment to re-read all of the comments you’ve posted on here and you’ll catch my drift.
About fcking time. We already have terminals ready since forever! Though November feels like 10 light years away. :/
So it seems that those that bought an iPhone 6 because of hopes of Apple Pay will be holding “last year’s phone” when Apple Pay finally comes around.
Many if not most of those that bought an iPhone 6 to work with the future Apple Watch will be in a similar position as well in that they won’t actually get the Watch until iPhone 6s is out.
Why can’t people just like the iPhone 6? It’s a wonderful phone, with and without Apple Pay.
Wasn’t 9to5 Mac the one who reported that Apple Pay was coming in March? Guessing is pretty straightforward. Eventually you’ll get it right.
They said “marketing was being made for March” and that “it’s no indicator that Apple Pay is coming by then”. Don’t call BS using non-facts.
It seems to me that 2-step authentication defeats the ease of use of Apple Pay and would effectively cripple its use relative to the current swipe and pay process most Canadaian retailers provide. That may be the intention of the banks – so they protect their own payment systems and leave room for rolling out new systems (that I have heard are under development).
Just what is it with the US experience (other than bugs associated with the initial rollout) that compromises security? My understanding was if Apple Pay is properly implemented, then it is more secure than the current electronic payment methods. That’s certainly what Apple says. Are they wrong? So why the need for 2-step authentication?
I don’t doubt that 2-step authentication is more secure. But so is 3-step. And 5-step is even more secure.
The 2-step process is for verification purposes. You can’t add your debit or credit cards on your iPhone if you don’t complete the two process. After you add your cards, it won’t require you to enter your PIN for every transaction. Please read carefully and not just scan the texts. And for security, how many times do they need to tell you about the process of Apple Pay for every transaction?
Actually, I did read the article rather than scanning – problem was an interpretational issue with the phrase “before cards can be used on Apple Pay”. Had it said “activated on Apple Pay” I would likely have understood it properly. Thanks for your calarification in the first part, but you lose your credibility with the second half.
It’s too bad Apple has raised all the prices of their merchandise in Canada A LOT recently. Instead of the lowest-priced Apple Watch being $350, in Canada it’s $450, a lot higher than the currency difference. I also noticed that the Apple Watch tables in the Apple Store in Vancouver were not very busy. I was going to buy the Sports Watch, but, decided not to when I saw the huge price jump.
How is is Apple watch priced a lot higher than the currency difference?
USD 350 + 30% (which roughly equates to the exchange rate difference today) = CAD 455.
This is true of almost all products now. A lot of software in the Apple store is also 50% higher than in the USA despite the currency difference being 20% or less. Apple made this decision last year to charge every one who isn’t American more money, and a lot of the third party software outfits have followed suit, because … they can.
You’re forgetting about currency conversion. The Canadian dollar is suffering at the moment, and if you were to take your CAD to America to try and get the watch cheaper, you’d end up spending just as much, if not more.
It’s our exchange rate, plus some room for further drops in the Canadian dollar. Note that Apple does not like to change it’s retail pricing other than when a new product is announced so they cannot change every time there’s a major exchange rate flux.
Today, using a straight exchange with no bank fees, US$349=CAD$429.05. Add in the 2 or 3% that the banks charge and you’re looking at closer to $440. Round that up to cover any further drops as I said and $449 seems about right.
US consumer electronics/IT companies have always done this, for a while our dollar was close to par with the USD so suggested retail pricing set by companies like Apple were on par too. The outlook for the Looney isn’t great so all of the US based computer/CE companies have made changes since January or February.
Please please please :)
Why no Australia…?!?!?!? :( :(
I’ll believe it once I actually see it happen! I got a little bit too excited for iTunes Radio, which has never showed up here in Quebec (I don’t know about the rest of Canada) and is a very big disappointment for me!