Dan Pražák Previously it was Czech for Siri, today it is mainly Apple Pay. It is almost a tradition that Czech iPhone owners have been waiting for support of Apple's main functions for many years. Apple's payment service, which enables contactless payments at merchants with an iPhone or Apple Watch, is certainly no exception. However, it seems that better times are finally shining. Czech banks confirm the arrival of Apple Pay on the domestic market. Specifically, the launch is planned for the first quarter of next year.
Not long ago, it was rumored that Apple Pay would enter the Czech market in November or early December this year. He mainly caused speculation article Hospodářské noviny, in which a high-ranking source from the banking environment was quoted. Apparently, however, Apple was eventually forced to postpone the launch until early next year. Allegedly, he wants to give priority to Germany, where the launch of the service is expected as early as November.
At the same time, according to their own words, the banks have everything ready and are only waiting for an instruction from the Californian giant. Evidence is, for example, the enabled process for adding a debit card from Komerční banka and Visa to the Wallet application when switching the region to the United Kingdom. The bank itself then confirmed on Twitter that the error occurred during preparations for the launch of the service.
DD, Lukas,
something is really happening :) The whole of the Czech Republic is preparing for the arrival of Apple Pay and we are waiting for the announcement of the launch date. This is entirely under Apple's control. An error has crept in as part of the preparation, and that's why you got to screens that are not available by default. Sorry and enjoy.
Thomas— Komerčka (@komerčka) October 16, 2018
Czech users will see Apple Pay within a few months. We will thus be one of the first countries where the payment service will visit in the new year. Specifically, the launch should take place in the first quarter, which was also confirmed by ČSOB in its answers to its clients' questions. The CzechCrunch magazine source was even more accurate and he claims, that we will be able to pay with iPhone and Apple Watch already at the end of January or the beginning of February.
Hello, we are planning the expected start date of the Apple pay service for the 1Q of next year. Nice day
— ČSOB (@CSOB_CZ) September 11, 2018
Initially, several banking institutions should support Apple Pay. In addition to the aforementioned Komerční banka and ČSOB, Česká spořitelna, AirBank or even Moneta, which also hinted at the service's entry into our market a few months ago, should not be missing from the launch. Support from e-shops is also expected, which would greatly simplify the payment process, as one click on the appropriate button, verification for example through Touch ID on a MacBook Pro, and the customer will be paid immediately.
In the editorial office, we tried Apple Pay already in July. Specifically, we tested paying with iPhone X and Apple Watch. If you are interested in how the service works in practice, then do not miss our article We tried Apple Pay.
Again an article about shit, and especially the author does not understand that the date of launching the Apple Pay service at ČSOB does not have to be the same date as the launch of Apple Pay in the Czech Republic, each bank can choose when to launch the service for its customers, as soon as Apple launches Apple Pay for the Czech Republic, so not all banks may have been 100% ready and thus it will work for some banks and not for others.
The author understands this very well. And the author also knows that ČSOB wants to be among the first banks to support Apple Pay, which says a lot. In any case, the article is not based on a tweet from ČSOB, which you surely understood if you read it in its entirety.
Domestic banks do not confirm anything. The only thing they can confirm with certainty is that they have everything ready and are just waiting for further instructions from Apple.
If everything is ready and as it obviously is, I personally guess that after the keynote
And you don't know when it will be offered by Equa bank?