Apple’s flagship retail store in Sydney, Australia, was temporarily evacuated earlier today as part of a “police operation.”
A sniffer dog was spotted entering the building, while the three-story venue was cleared of customers by police, who also diverted local traffic. According to one customer who was evacuated, store employees were talking about a bomb threat. She noted that police were “very firm in telling people to leave immediately.”
Apple has hit out at Australian banks for attempting to “delay or even block” the expansion of Apple Pay.
In a submission to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, Apple said that the banks are hurting consumers and small card issuers.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission won’t let banks team up to bargain with Cupertino over Apple Pay fees.
Three of the country’s four major banks applied to negotiate with Apple together, and potentially boycott the wireless payments service if no deal was reached. Now that the banks’ request has been denied by the ACCC, they’ll be forced to work out individual agreements over Apple Pay.
Apple is reportedly planning to open a new flagship Australian retail store in Federation Square, Melbourne.
According to a new report, Apple is currently negotiating to replace an existing “deconstructivist” metal building in the square with a $50 million glass structure, which sounds reminiscent of Apple’s iconic Fifth Avenue store.
Australia’s four biggest banks are seeking permission from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to launch an official Apple boycott.
Apple is less than happy about Australian banks’ unwillingness to say “G’day” to Apple Pay. In fact, it’s accusing them of acting like a “cartel,” and arguing their demands pose a security risk to Apple and its customers.
Using Apple Pay to buy stuff feels like magic every time. Apple’s official ads don’t really portray how awestruck people are when I bust out my iPhone or Apple Watch to buy a Red Bull, but a bank in Australia has captured the moment perfectly.
ANZ’s funny Apple Pay ad is super and simple and just shows a regular guy buying a carton of milk from an Australian version of Seth Rogen. Not much happens, but the wave of utter amazement and disbelief that hits everyone in the store when the guy taps the counter with his iPhone is something you’ve got to see.
Check it out:
Australian banks including Westpac, ANZ and Macquarie have announced that they will soon accept contactless payments made via Android Pay — although would-be Apple Pay customers are still being left out in the cold.
The reason? Banks still aren’t happy with Apple’s terms for its mobile payments solution, and showing that they are willing to accept Android Pay is a way of forcing a better deal with Apple.
Australia may recently have said “G’day” to Apple Pay, but when it comes to the country’s overall embrace of Apple’s NFC payment platform, well, let’s just say that a few more shrimps could be tossed on the proverbial barbie.
That’s because, despite now being available to Amex customers Down Under, Australia’s Reserve Bank is being pushed to examine anti-competitive behavior due to Australia’s major banks allegedly freezing out Apple Pay — and thereby denying choice to customers in terms of digital payments.
Apple Pay launches in Canada today — making the country of Tim Hortons, hockey and maple syrup the third place in the world to receive Apple’s mobile payments technology, following the U.S. and United Kingdom.
Apple has also announced that the service is set to launch in Australia later this week, although a specific day has not been confirmed.
