It’s the end of Apple pain for Tube travellers
THE days of Apple users causing queues while tapping in at busy Tube stations could be numbered after the tech giant introduced a new feature to make travel more seamless.
Until now, those commuters with Apple Pay needed to use Face ID or Touch ID as authentication before being able to go through the ticket barriers.
In busy Tube stations, in particular, it was susceptible to creating hold-ups as people activated their devices.
Thanks to ‘Express Transit’ mode, travellers will no longer need to ‘pre-arm’ their devices so the process should be as smooth as using an Oyster or bank card.
Apple is also dealing with the worry of battery loss mid-journey, giving the iPhone and Apple Watch the ability to tap out up to five hours after they have powered down.
A notification is being sent to users in the London area telling them about the feature, which will work on any iPhone from the 6S and SE onwards.
Tapping out when battery has run out will only work with the iPhone XS or Apple Watch series 4 and later.
The move comes as one in five contactless journeys across London are now made using a smart device. Mike Tuckett, head of transformation delivery for Transport for London, said: ‘It is a step change in the way we think about how to charge people, the notion of having to understand what ticket you need. Do I need an Oyster card? We’re trying to sweep that away and make it super simple.’
It’s the first time Express Transit has been enabled in the UK. It is already used in New York and Portland in the US, in China and Japan.