**Apple Pay Broadens Its Reach to Public Transit in South Korea: A Landmark with Possible Hurdles**
Over two years since its introduction in South Korea, Apple Pay is poised to fill a crucial void in its service: enabling payments for public transport. Nevertheless, this advancement may be temporary due to rising challenges.
### Updates to Terminals and Transaction Fees Warrant the Delay
Transit card provider Tmoney has revealed that its system will soon be adaptable with both iPhones and Apple Watches, enabling users to use their devices to pay for subway and bus fares throughout the nation. Although an official launch date is yet to be announced, this revelation signifies an important progress in Apple Pay’s uptake in South Korea.
Apple Pay was launched in South Korea two years back, considerably later than Samsung Pay, which incorporated public transport support in 2015. This lag left iPhone users at a disadvantage in a nation where mobile tap-to-pay transit is generally expected. The delay was linked to infrastructure and cost concerns, as Tmoney and other transit operators had to upgrade to EMV contactless terminals mandated by Apple Pay and were apprehensive about the resulting transaction fees.
### Next Destination: No Tapping (and No Apple Pay) at All
In spite of the encouraging news for Apple users, Tmoney also introduced a pilot initiative slated to begin in October on Seoul city buses, which may complicate matters. This initiative will evaluate a tagless payment system on around 580 buses across 36 routes. Rather than tapping a card or device, passengers who have the Tmoney app installed and Bluetooth activated on their phones will have their fares automatically processed upon entry and exit of the bus.
Though the addition of transit payments through Apple Pay is a significant achievement, the forthcoming tagless payment system may reduce the need for tapping entirely, presenting a potential obstacle to Apple Pay’s long-term assimilation into South Korea’s public transport framework. For the time being, Apple users can anticipate the soon-to-come transit payments, but the outlook remains unclear.
