Whether I’m buying a coffee on the way to class, a pack of stamps or a used book, I use my debit card at least five times a week — and it’s usually for small items that cost less than $10. I’ve grown accustomed to swiping my card and either entering my PIN or signing the piece of paper.
But with Apple Pay, which was rolled out Monday, swiping could become a thing of the past. And I’m all about it.
Apple announced Apply Pay in September, but it only became available on Monday. From what I understand, the new payment system will allow users to simply wave their phone instead of needing to use an actual card.
The idea is that this product will be more secure than cards because instead of PIN numbers or signatures, iPhones have their thumbprint-lock technology that premiered in the iPhone 5s.
Though many retailers haven’t gotten on board yet, credit cards could soon become a thing of the past. I cannot wait.
Since getting my first debit card three years ago, I’ve had some pretty bad experiences. In March of my freshman year, my card was declined when I wanted to buy a toothbrush at CVS. I knew that I hadn’t blown through my entire savings in less than a week, so I called my bank in a panic. As it turned out, my debit card had been used at a CVS in Montana with a $435 charge just before I had tried to use mine.
How can someone spend $435 at CVS in a single trip? But ever since then, I have been wary of using my card. Even though the charge was cancelled, the whole process was a major inconvenience. My new card was mailed to my house in Pittsburgh, and then my mom had to mail it to Athens, so I was without money for 10 days. I also never understood how my card was used in a store in Montana without my knowledge.
I think that a biometric identification system is a great step for society. Credit card fraud is such a problem today, and Apple Pay could prevent thieves from spending $400 at CVS in the first place — no matter what they are buying.
@megomecene
