Apple Promoting Express Transit in London

Apple has been promoting Express Transit inside the Wallet app in London, 9to5 Mac reported on Tuesday. I had a look whilst using public transport on Wednesday, and didn’t notice the ads. However, it’s interesting that some users did have this relatively underused feature highlighted to them, and that not all of them were happy about it.

When you click on it, Apple explains how to get around using the Express Mode feature, which does not require Face ID or Touch ID when paying for public transportation…The weird thing about this activation, which you could call an ad, is that this notification appears even if you have the Express Mode feature already enabled – and it toggles an icon alert on the Wallet app as well. This is not the first time Apple users have complained about the company inserting ads on their devices.

Australians Can Now Add Covid-19 Digital Certificate to Apple Wallet

Australians who have received two doses of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines can add the relevant certification to their Apple Wallet, Tap Down Under reported. It follows the same development in the UK.

As of today, it’s now possible to add a copy of your COVID-19 digital certificate to your digital wallet of choice – Apple Wallet or Google Pay – making it easier to show proof of vaccination for which will undoubtedly become required sometime in the future. There are two methods to add it into Apple Wallet; You can go straight to my.gov.au, tap on ‘Go to Medicare’ in the COVID-19 vaccination status area, and then under the PDF link, there’s an Add to Apple Wallet button. The other method, is to use the Medicare app – which is handy to have regardless for other features like a digital Medicare card.

Apple Wallet Supports Australian Health Insurance Cards Via HICAPS App

Australians are now able to add digital health insurance cards to their Apple Wallet via the Health Industry Claims and Payments Service (HICAPS) app. 9to5Mac has a good explainer of how it all works.

In Australia, when you pay a visit to an Extras provider, the receptionist provides you with a bill and asks if you have health coverage. At that point, you can hand them your HIF membership card and they’ll swipe it through an electronic claiming terminal known as a HICAPS machine. Now, with the Apple Wallet integration, users can just double click the side button on their iPhone with Face ID or double click the Touch ID button to view the health insurance card on the Wallet. Then, they just have to select their health fund membership card from Apple Wallet and hold the iPhone or Apple Watch near the terminal reader.

Israeli Wallet Company Says Apple Pay Is Killing Physical Wallet Industry

Israeli wallet brand Emmanuel Wallets is boycotting digital wallets like Apple Pay, saying it’s harming the physical wallet industry.

Classic wallets have accompanied the human race for centuries and serve as a practical means of maintaining a means of payment and a fashionable accessory. A wallet is the type of item one holds, such as a phone… so it’s part of its unique style and personal branding. No technological gimmick, not even one promoted by the world’s largest tech company, will succeed in reducing the popularity of a physical wallet.

“No digital wallet will succeed in reducing the popularity of a physical wallet.” Well then, what’s all the fuss about?

This App Can Load Your Business Card into Apple Wallet

An app I discovered a while back called Social Card lets you put your business card into Apple Wallet. By that I mean the app helps you create a personalized card where you can add information like email, phone numbers, websites, and links to social media like LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and others. You can share you card with Airdrop, iMessage, email, or a QR code. You can create a card for free with limited options, and various in-app purchases gives you customization options to add a background, change the color, add a logo or your portrait, and more.