Despite the fact that at first many expected return of Apple Pay to Russia, after about six months, it became clear to everyone that Apple’s contactless payment service would no longer work with us. Therefore, users began to look for a way out of this situation. Someone returned to plastic cards, someone switched to Android for the sake of MirPayand someone decided that transactions through Fast payment system also have the right to life. But neither one, nor the other, nor the third option became a full-fledged alternative to Apple Pay, whose “replacements” began to be made by everyone and sundry. Even the payment system Mir.
It is obvious that, even in the conditions of open NFC in the iPhone, it is impossible to make another contactless payment service similar to Apple Pay work on iOS. No Google Pay, no Samsung Pay, much less Mir Pay on iPhones won’t work because Apple a) won’t let their apps in the App Store and b) won’t let them use NFC to pay, she explains, for security reasons. That’s why everything payment services for iPhonewhich are in Russia, work on the basis of QR codes, regardless of origin.
Contactless payment on iPhone
Most of them work according to the active model, when the user launches the banking application, scans a QR code, which is displayed on the terminal screen, checks the amount of the transaction and, if everything is OK, confirms the payment. This is how SBP, SberPay, SBPey and other less popular services work. However, the payment can also be made in the opposite direction, allowing the seller to scan the QR code at the checkout instead of doing it yourself.
It is according to this model that the new service from the Mir payment system will work, Izvestia reports. It is not yet known what name it will receive. However, the developers expect that the rate on passive payment will make the new product more convenient and therefore more in demand compared to analogues.
The principle of operation of the future service will be as follows:
- The user downloads the application to his iPhone and links the World map to it.
- Then the application generates a QR code for payment with a pre-set maximum payment limit.
- To pay, the user simply opens the QR code and allows the seller to scan it at the checkout to debit the purchase.
The developers believe that the lack of need for self scan QR code, and the ability to simply show it to the cashier should become a killer feature of the future service. Allegedly, this will reduce the time for payment, which is very important in terms of streaming services at the checkouts of stores. However, this is clearly not the only advantage.
Replacing Apple Pay with iPhone – is it real?
- Firstly, a pre-generated QR code will work even without the Internet. This is very relevant because Apple Pay did not require a network connection and allowed you to pay with your smartphone even where the network does not catch.
- Secondly, when the cashier scans the QR code himself, your risks of scanning something wrong and sending money to the wrong address are significantly reduced, which means that payment security is increased.
- Thirdly, in this way it will be possible to pay for purchases from cards of different banks, including credit cards. It is enough just to bind them into one aggregator application.
An important point: it is assumed that the application for maps that will be used to generate payment QR codes, will be one. Most likely, it will be based either on the already existing program “Hello, World” or, specifically for this case, an iOS version of Mir Pay will be released, but without NFC support. Basically, it’s convenient. However, it was not without drawbacks either.
- First of all, the payment system needs to enlist the support of banks. So far, only PSB, Post Bank and MTS bank.
- Then it will be necessary to introduce a system for accepting payments in stores and retail chains throughout the country, because in the absence of an extensive infrastructure, no one will use the service.
- Generating a QR code in advance is a simple procedure, but it still requires active actions on the part of the user, and most simply do not need this. Especially if you have to create different QR codes for different payment amounts.
- The payment itself will require several actions that cannot be blindly performed, as was the case with Apple Pay. Here you need to unlock the smartphone, find the application, launch it, select and open the QR code and show it to the seller. It is not comfortable.
The last two factors, as for me, actually ruin the initiative payment system Mir. Well, think for yourself: not only will you need to prepare a QR code in advance, but you will also not have the opportunity to control the amount debited. Yes, you will see the total cost of purchases at the checkout. But you will have to put a strictly fixed amount in the QR code. For example, 1, 2, 5 or 10 thousand rubles. It is not safe. After all, theoretically, using a QR code, it will be possible to write off the entire amount, and you will not be able to influence it. So let’s better leave SBP or SberPayand calm down.
