In another step towards keeping your wallet in shape and your pace through life that little bit faster, Visa has unveiled the idea behind their payWave app, which allows you to access the Metro by simply waving your iPhone over a pay-point. No more fiddling around for that card in your pocket – or in my case, trying to locate my ‘always hiding’ Oyster card in the endless void that is my handbag.
Visa is trialling this right now in New York with plans to open it up to all sorts of payment types, including a collaboration with the Bank of America. We’ve heard of this sort of thing before with Barclaycard’s contact-less payments in the UK, so consumers can pay for the littlest things, like lunch and coffee, without having to count up the pennies. Having it as a way to pay for your public transport seems like a really handy idea, and will definitely make it much easier to keep everything in one place – i.e. your iPhone.
It’s not completely clear whether you have to pay for your usage online before you travel, like topping up a travelcard, or if you foot the bill afterwards, but either way it’s still a brilliant idea. Have a watch of the Visa video and let us know if you’ll be using this app when it’s finally rolled out nationally.
