Express Transit Added to Apple Pay in London!
Earlier in the year Apple added 'Express Transit' as an option for Apple Pay users.
What this means is that you can allocate one of your payment cards to be used when you tap in at tube stations without having to use Touch ID or Face ID - making the whole process of moving through the city so much quicker. No more pileups at the turnstiles!
The other advantage is because the card gets loaded into a chip on your phone - it doesn't even matter if your phone is switched off or out of power - it will still allow you to go through the barrier and pay! - very cool. This works with Apple Watch too!
What devices will Apple Pay work on?
You can pay using Apple Pay on an iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, SE, X, XS, XS Max, XR, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max or Apple Watch.
How do I set my iPhone up for Apple Transit?
Before you can use the Apple's Express Transit mode you'll need to enable it.
On your iPhone head to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay - then tap on Express Travel Card and to set up the debit card you want to use.
Once set, that will always be the account that is charged when using London transport.
Free Phone Charging Trial at TFL Overground Stations
On our way to a client visit today we spotted at Shoreditch High Street Overground station a new area dedicated to charging devices.
It appears that this is a trial that may be rolled out across London. Now that more and more people use their phones for contactless access to the TFL network it makes sense for there to be charging points for those times when you run out of juice just when you need it the most.
The devices, installed by chargebox (and looking suspiciously like an old Powermac G4 Cube) are capable of fast charging which means you can get 20% charge in ten minutes or so.
We also spotted that they have used our old friend Sugru (click here to find out more about Sugru) to re-enforce the cables from the rabid hordes of commuters who will no doubt manhandle them at their liesure.
So next time your dropping low in charge at Columbia Road Flower Market or munching on a Brick Lane Bagel you have a new friend in town.