Mobile Payment
Contents
Full Title or Meme
Mobile Payment success is greatly determined by the functional of the mobile devcie.
Context
Payments on Apple
In 2022, the European Commission conducted an investigation in hashtag#Apple, which was prompted by concerns related to competition within the payment market. The specific concern was that hashtag#applepay, being the sole option available to iPhone users for contactless payments, might be limiting or suppressing competition in the industry.
In response to these concerns and regulatory pressures, Apple is opening up its NFC technology to third-party mobile wallet and payment service providers in the EEA and beyond. This shift marks a significant change in the mobile payment industry. Traditionally, Apple has exclusively reserved its NFC technology for Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
Several foundational payment concepts and features are at play in this development. Let's explore them:
๐๏ธ๐ก๐๐ (๐ก๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป) ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ป๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐: Apple is taking a significant step forward by enabling third-party mobile wallet and payment service providers to access the NFC (Near Field Communication) capabilities found within iOS devices. What sets this move apart is that these providers won't required to rely on Apple Pay or Apple Wallet as intermediaries for accessing NFC technology.
๐๏ธ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐: Apple will have to create a pathway to utilize NFC technology on Apple devices seamlessly, as if they were Apple Pay or Apple Wallet themselves.
๐๏ธ๐๐๐ (๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐บ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป) ๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ: In the context of Apple, HCE allows an iPhone to act as if it were a physical contactless smartcard, like a credit card, when interacting with compatible payment terminals or access control systems, without the need for a physical secure element.
๐๏ธ๐ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐ช๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐๐: Apple's decision extends to all third-party mobile wallet app developers operating within the European Economic Area (EEA). This broader access is a significant departure from the previous closed ecosystem and signals a more inclusive approach.
๐๏ธ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐-๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐: Apple's commitment extends beyond the boundaries of the EEA. Users can utilize these third-party apps for payments in stores located outside the EEA.
๐๏ธ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Users will retain access to authentication features such as Face ID and will retain control over certain functionalities to tailor their payment experience according to their preferences.
Payments on Google
Weโve known for a while that Google was adding Government ID to the digital wallet. But now itโs here in the UK, and youโll be able to scan your passport.
And itโs putting even more identity cats amongst the already very crowded UK ID pigeons.
The hawk-eyed Richard Oliphant sets out the mixed response to this pretty big news (link below):
โCompeting with the Google Wallet - and, one assumes, the Apple Wallet - to provide identity verification and authentication will make this even more challenging.
โSurvival will depend on the ability of identity providers to differentiate their products and expand their reach into regulated industry sectors through integrations with the likes of Docusign and Adobe.
โWhilst certification against the DIATF makes strategic sense, I wonder whether the stringent data privacy requirements might pose a problem.
โThey won't, for example, allow Google to monetise identity data and feed it into their Targeted Advertising Machine . (This is less problematic for Apple).
โIf Google certifies its Wallet against the DIATF, I regard it as more likely that they will seek to certify a version of their Wallet as an "EU Digital Identity Wallet" under the EU eidas framework.
โThis would allow them to offer their Wallet for strong customer authentication in EU banking (and other regulated sectors) and to store EU mobile driving licences too.โ
Lots and lots of debate around this.
From โit was inevitable, and who else can match the user experienceโ to โare you kidding, more surveillance?โ.
But the more important take isnโt about identity wallets.
Itโs about the *other credentials* that customers can wrap around them.
Proof of insurance. Proof of attendance.
Proof of membership. Proof of license.
And much, much more. A long tail of evidence about people that isnโt currently digital or portable.
Until now.
Google has the reach, the business relationships, the balance sheet, and the wallet infrastructure to make verifiable credentials go mainstream. And I mean for *everyone*.
A bit like Google Maps.
And frankly, like Google Maps, they can do it all for โfree.โ
Why?
Because even if they canโt see whatโs in the wallet (though likely they will), customers will get more *utility* with it.
And that means more transactions, more payments, and more revenue.
Just like Google Maps.
You make the core utility free, then make money from all the data that surrounds it. The vast 2nd-order data networks that emerge as a result.
You see, the smart brands wonโt make money WITH customer data. Theyโll make money BECAUSE of it.
Welcome folks, to the 2nd-order impacts of digital ID.
Will Google Wallet be as big as Google Maps? I wouldnโt bet against it.
Compared Designs
- Apple Pay vs Google Pay: A Deep Dive into Security, Privacy, and Technical Implementation August 17, 2025
Apple Pay vs Google Pay: Security Comparison
| Feature | Apple Pay | Google Pay |
| Card Data Storage | Stored locally in a Secure Element chip on the device | Stored on Googleโs cloud servers in encrypted form |
| Tokenization | Uses a Device Account Number (DAN) unique to your device | Uses a Payment Token linked to your card info stored on Google servers |
| Biometric Authentication | Required for every transaction (Face ID, Touch ID | Also required (Fingerprint, Face Unlock), but implementation varies |
| Transmission Security | Sends DAN during payment; real card number never leaves device | Sends token during payment; real card number stored remotely |
| Privacy Model | Apple does not track your purchases or store card data on servers | Google may retain purchase history, device ID, and profile data |
| Known Vulnerabilities | Rare; e.g., Express Transit bug allowing payments on locked iPhones | Rare; e.g., bypassing unlock step in older Android builds |
| Security Philosophy | Hardware-first: Secure Enclave + local-only data | Software-first: Cloud flexibility + fraud detection via data analytics |
KARUNAKARA RAO KARNATI
Apple Pay vs Google Pay Security
- Apple Pay Security
1. Credit Card Info โ You first add your card details into Apple Wallet. 2. Pass Credit Card Info โ The info is securely sent to the bank for verification. 3. Store to Chip. โ Apple Pay doesnโt store your real card number. Instead, it creates a Device Account Number (DAN) stored in the phoneโs secure chip. 4. DAN Used in Transactions โ When you pay, Apple Pay sends this DAN instead of your actual card number. 5. Bank Validates โ The bank processes the DAN and approves the transaction.
Important Point: Apple never stores your card number on its servers. The sensitive data stays only on your device in the secure chip.
- Google Pay Security
1. Credit Card Info โ You add your card into Google Pay. 2. Store Info to Google Server โ Unlike Apple, Google Pay sends card info to its cloud servers. 3. Payment Token Generated โ Google creates a Payment Token that represents your card. 4. Token Sent to Merchant โ When you pay, this token is sent to the eCommerce server (merchant). 5. Token Passed to Bank โ The token is validated against the real card info stored in Googleโs servers. 6. Bank Approves โ The bank checks the actual card info and approves the transaction.
Important Point: Google Pay relies on cloud tokenization, meaning your card info is stored on Googleโs servers in the encrypted format.
- Apple Pay vs Google Pay Main Difference
- Apple Pay: Card info never leaves your device โ stays safe inside a secure chip.
- Google Pay: Card info goes to Googleโs servers โ secure but involves a third party storing your card data.
Byte Byte Go
https://blog.bytebytego.com/p/ep25-how-applegoogle-pay-handle-card
References
- See wiki page on NFC

