So you've been waiting to tap your iPhone on Seoul's subway gates? Good news. Sort of.
Tmoney just announced Apple Pay is coming to Korean public transport. When exactly? They didn't say. But after two years of Apple Pay being basically useless for daily commutes here, any progress counts.
Why the Long Wait
The holdup wasn't just technical. Transit operators had to upgrade thousands of card readers to EMV contactless terminals. That's Apple's payment standard. Plus there's the fees Apple charges. Not cheap when you're processing millions of daily taps.
Meanwhile Samsung Pay users have been breezing through turnstiles since 2015. Kind of embarrassing for Apple honestly.
What This Actually Means
Once it launches you'll tap your iPhone or Apple Watch just like a regular Tmoney card. No more carrying that plastic card that somehow always ends up in the wrong pocket. Your phone becomes your transit pass.
The timing makes sense. More iPhone users in Korea now than ever. And tourists constantly ask why their Apple Pay doesn't work on buses. It's been a real adoption killer.
The Tagless Future Is Coming Too
Here's where it gets interesting. Tmoney also announced something bigger. A pilot program for tagless payments starting this October.
Picture this. You walk onto a bus. No tapping anything. The system knows you're there and charges you automatically. Like magic but with Bluetooth and sensors.
The pilot covers:
- 580 buses across 36 routes
- Plans to expand to subway lines 1-8 by year end
- Full rollout timeline still unclear
What You Should Know
Right now nothing changes. Keep your Tmoney card handy. But if you're thinking of switching to iPhone this might tip the scales.
For tourists this is huge. No more buying physical cards at the airport. Just land and tap.
The tagless system sounds futuristic but let's see how it handles rush hour crowds first. Privacy concerns too. Do we want our phones broadcasting our location on every commute?
Looking Ahead
Korea's been a mobile payment leader for years. This Apple Pay integration was the missing piece. Once it launches we'll finally have all major payment options working on public transport.
The real game changer might be that tagless system though. If it works smoothly we could see the end of fumbling for cards at turnstiles. Just walk through and go.
No launch dates yet but Tmoney seems committed. After years of waiting iPhone users in Seoul will finally join the tap-and-go crowd. About time really.