Apple CEO Tim Cook announced today during the company’s earnings call that Best Buy will gain support for Apple Pay in its iOS app today and will begin accepting it in retail stores later this year. Best Buy’s decision is big news because the electronics chain was previously part of the coalition of companies working on the ill-received “Current-C” mobile payment system.
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Best Buy took to Twitter during the call to confirm the announcement.
Previous reports had indicated that Current-C retailers would not be able to accept payments from other mobile systems, but that policy was quickly clarified following public outcry, with the creators of the software saying that the exclusivity agreement would last for only “months, not years.”
Other Current-C partners have already jumped ship and moved to Apple Pay as well.
You can pick up Best Buy 9.1 for iOS with support for Apple Pay right now. You’ll be able to use your iPhone or Apple Watch in physical Best Buy locations this fall.
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Bestbuy. For everyone who hasn’t discovered that Amazon has it for 30% less.
Best Buy. For people who know that they can price match with Amazon.
Price match with Amazon + get BB reward points which are actually quite valuable.
Yeah, doesn’t work as well as one would think. In December, I attempted to price match an LG 65″ LCD at Best Buy. Amazon had it for a whopping 20% less (not on sale, just standard, wanted to avoid the shipping of a large item), but wasn’t in stock, so no price match. Ok, Walmart had it for $150 off. Well, Best Buy said price match to another store has to be within 50 miles and currently have it in stock. So no dice there, no Walmart stores had it currently in stock. Fine, B&H Photo Video had it in stock, 10% off, but not an online store they are willing to match.
I just walked out and reflected that Best Buy is a place to view an item only, then go buy it somewhere else for cheaper.
@Brandon, they’ve changed the policy since then to include Amazon
@Brandon You just said those other places were out of stock, with the exception of B&H. Best Buy actually had it in stock so if there were an actual place to buy it it’d be at Best Buy or B&H. Don’t you think that’s fair?
I use BB frequently. I get reward points, they price match with Amazon and, I can order online and get 1% back via ebates and pick up in-store the same day. I’m happy they are coming aboard the Apple Pay train.
At least the ditched CurrentC!
CurrentC has suffered a number of “data breaches” in the past few months. I’m surprised more haven’t ditched them. There was a time when stores were only Visa or only MC. That changed. This will change too, and most all e-pay methods will be accepted almost everywhere. It just takes time.
Now hopefully they will allow the Citi Best Buy MasterCard to be used with ApplePay. Most other Citi cards do but not the Best Buy one so far.
If that card is a chip card, it should work. Citi has been amazingly slow on changing over to chip cards. My opinion is that is to move people away from grandfathered card accounts to more profitable cards. Basically a business move on their part.
Hadn’t heard that Current-C was cracking. Interesting.
So much for CurrentC! #AllHailApplePay
Current C CEO Dekkers Davison resigned to pursue other opportunities. He was CEO of Merchant Customer Exchange, the father of Current C. He was interviewed by Walt Mossberg in October 2014 saying months not years for exclusivity agreement.
With Best Buy’s defection and monitoring the pilots along with exclusivity agreement expiring in the summer, it’s not looking pretty for Current C.
The Fat Lady is warming up her vocal chords.
But can you use the My Best Buy card, I don’t think so, I think the addition of that would be nice