China's advancement towards a walletless society took another step forward with the news that passengers can now ride the Beijing Metro just by swiping their phones.
READ: Tech Check: Beijing is Quickly Becoming a Cashless City
As of yesterday, Beijing commuters can now store funds and pay their way onto the city's public transportation services using their phone instead of a transportation card.
The service is compatible with 160 phones with brands that include Xiaomi, Huawei, Samsung, Nubia, OnePlus, and Meizu. However, in an odd move that is likely to infuriate many of the city's commuters, this service is not available for Apple iPhone users, and it is not clear if this is likely to change in the future.
READ: How to Use the Newly Bilingual Alipay as a Laowai
As well, the service is currently only available on Beijing Metro's Fangshan Line, located to the far southwest part of the city, accessible through Line 9.
Cellphones have become incredibly important in China, allowing residents to make purchases and even authenticate their personal identification just by using their phone. But even as "contactless payment" dovetails nicely with the rise of cellphone use, it isn't new technology.
Contactless payment employs near field communication (NFC), or contactless radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies that have been around since 1997. Instead of Wi-Fi technology, contactless payment works by through close proximity, meaning that payment is only made if a user's phone is right next to the gate sensor.
The Beijing Metro actually first introduced contactless payment back in 2013 in a limited trial of 100,000 city residents, a year before the London Tube offered the service to its riders.
READ: Net Savings: Buying Train Tickets on Your Mobile
Beijing commuters can recharge funds on their phone online through a dedicated phone app. No deposit is necessary for this service, although service charges are applicable. The monthly discount offered to Beijing Metro riders is still effect for users of contactless payment.
Commuters looking for a full list of compatible phones can peruse the Beijing Metro's WeChat account, accessible by searching for the term "北京市政交通一卡通" (or search "bmacwx" in English).
More stories from this author here.
Twitter: @Sinopath
Starting today (August 14, 2017), you can use a phone to gain entry to every subway station on the Beijing Metro. All subway turnstiles now supports NFC tech, allowing access to users of 160 types of phones.
No word on when this feature will be made available to iPhone users.
