Public backs London’s black taxis accepting credit or debit card payment after public consultation by TfL October 29, 2015 Londoners just came a step closer to being able to pay for a black cab journey using a credit or debit card. Accepting cashless payments – widespread almost everywhere else – has been suggested by Transport for London in a bid to modernise the industry, and has now gained overwhelming support from the public and cab drivers themselves. [...]
Apple Pay UK: Where are people using it most? TfL races ahead July 22, 2015 A week after Apple Pay's launch in the UK, and there's one spot where it's proving by far and away the most popular place to use. The contactless payment which lets you pay by simply swiping an iPhone or Apple Watch, attempts to make paying for stuff as quick and easy as possible, and there's no [...]
Lloyds, HSBC, First Direct warn Apple Pay users: Storing other people’s fingerprints is like “giving out your pin” November 3, 2015 Store your spouse’s fingerprint on your phone? You could be in for a nasty surprise. UK banks are warning customers against the practice, announcing that if you wish to use Apple Pay, you must delete other people’s prints. Lloyds’ customers are warned in the bank’s terms and conditions: If Touch ID is available on your [...]
Is cash dead? Quarter of people think cash will disappear in the next five years August 28, 2015 With the launch of Apple Pay and a host of near-field communication (NFC) rivals, was 2015 the final nail in the coffin for cash? A new study has found a whopping 25 per cent of people believe cash will be obsolete in five years' time, with 39 per cent saying it'll be gone in a [...]
London’s cabbies can’t afford to live in the past October 30, 2015 During last year’s Black Cab protest against Uber, one bit of news footage stood out. A cabbie was being interviewed on camera, explaining that Uber’s behaviour was unacceptable and unfair. Behind his seat, attached to the dividing screen between driver and passenger, was a sign that read “cash only”. This pigheaded refusal to join the [...]
Profiting from creative tension: MediaCom’s Josh Krichefski talks Coca-Cola, DNA and short-form video February 8, 2016 "People in advertising have always worked long hours, but I don’t think that is necessary to deliver great work,” says Josh Krichefski, MediaCom UK’s new chief executive. “You won’t get a promotion here for working late,” he adds. Last year, the agency launched a programme called Project Blend to allow employees to talk with their [...]
Apple Pay comes to the UK – but will it change your life? July 14, 2015 Apple Pay has made its debut in the UK with a strangely secretive launch from a company known for its high profile events. It’s a clever piece of technology that enables people to use the iPhone 6 and new Apple Watch in the same way as a contactless debit card, simply tapping it on an [...]
Apple Pay in the UK: Like not laughing at a Michael Mcintyre gag, resistance is futile July 16, 2015 When Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook revealed its physical wallet-replacement service last September, I recall a tut and an eye roll at yet another Apple product announcement. A form of contactless payment, re-marketed as a physical wallet-replacement service, would be with us this summer. Where's the innovation in that? In many ways Apple [...]
Transport for London: Uber and London’s private hire trade need new regulations October 20, 2015 On Friday, the High Court declared that smartphones used by some private hire drivers were not taximeters. This confirmed the view that Transport for London (TfL) has held all along. It was right to seek clarity on the matter at the High Court because, as the regulator of the taxi and private hire trades, we [...]
The decline of cash is on the cards: City A.M. speaks to MasterCard’s Ann Cairns October 28, 2015 Some sports fans carry the burden of their teams’ fortunes around on their shoulders, often for days after a heroic victory or a dramatic defeat. You know the type I mean – we’ve all worked with them, dated them, got married to them… Hell, some of us are them. The football obsessive who springs into work after a [...]