On the verge of overcoming the equator of the year and still no trace of Apple Pay in Spain. The worst is that it is not even, they even expected him. It was the footballer Tim Cook, who last year announced the arrival of the Apple payment service to our country, but the disappointment was when the last Apple Keynote in which arose iOS 10 announced the next countries in which it would launch Apple Pay and ours was not among them. What happens with Apple Pay in Spain? What are the problems that are delaying its launch in our country?
Infrastructure already available
Spain is one of the countries with more compatible with “contactless” payment terminals. It is practically the only requirement to get Apple Pay to the country, at least in terms of infrastructure. Retailers would not have to invest in new payment terminals to accept Apple Pay, which is a very important facilitating factor. Just have to reach agreements with banks and card stations so that Apple Pay is released, it seems that the problem is there.
Banks could be being the brake
When we pay a product in a store they involved many stakeholders. On the one hand our card, as well as our Bank station, and also the Bank of store which is usually that yields the payment terminal. Es easy to understand that the more parties, more commissions, and with Apple in game would have to add the part that Apple is going to take the business. This could be the origin of the problems of Apple Pay in Spain.
But why Santander accept Apple Pay in United Kingdom and in Spain do not? The conditions of the payment card in the United Kingdom are different from those that exist in Spain. The same is true in the United States where banks that accept Apple Pay are counted by dozens. Sources close to the banks who know the conditions of the business speak of very favourable conditions for banks, who do not want to come no one and be part of your cake.
Banks prepare their own mobile payment system
Mobile payments are obviously the future (many sites already present), and the banks know it. Therefore, that they have teamed up to create their own system of payments with mobile, independent proposed that other giants like Apple, Google, Samsung, etc. this unique system name is Bizum, and already has the support of entities like Santander, CaixaBank, BBVA, Popular, BMN, Bankia, Bankinter among others.
This system of mobile payments should not be impediment so that other new players entering the game, and for this there is the CNMC (National Commission of markets and competition), which should ensure that it does not exist monopolies or situations of superiority of institutions against each other, but we already know how things work when banking is spoken in our country.
It will come late, but it will
The landing of the large ones with their mobile payments will end up coming, that is something that few doubt, but that large banks will first want to try to capture all possible market is also a fact. Samsung Pay already arrived, but in the hands of a single entity and with very little acceptance by users. Apple Pay and Android Pay will come, hopefully before the end of the year at least. Meanwhile we will continue waiting for you.
