Latest news with #WalletApp
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Yahoo
Why I've decided to skip seeing Apple's F1 movie in theaters
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. I'm a longtime iPhone user who is deeply entrenched in Apple's ecosystem. I wear an Apple Watch religiously to track my health and fitness, and I use a MacBook for work and leisure. AirPods and iPad? Check and check. I'm also dying to see Brad Pitt's F1 movie that Apple made. I was especially psyched after WWDC 2025. Apple used WWDC to promote F1 in brilliant ways. First was the intro gag, and then the unique iPhone-only haptic trailer. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 More importantly, we learned that Apple's iPhone 15 Pro camera was developed for the F1 movie, as the Formula 1 races in the clip are actual races recorded with iPhone-grade cameras. At that point I would have watched F1 even if it were a bad movie. Luckily, everyone who saw it praised the film, suggesting Apple had a massive summer blockbuster on its hands, which is terrific news for the future of Apple TV+ in Hollywood. But then someone at Apple decided to ruin all the momentum F1 had and push an advertisement in the Wallet app to thousands of iPhone users. It was even worse than Apple auto-downloading that U2 album on millions of iPhones all those years ago. I use the Wallet app all the time. It's how I've been paying for most things for years. Apple secures that experience, and I'm not worried about my credit cards being stolen. I also use the app for passes, from planes to public transportation. It's one of the best features of the iPhone (and Apple Watch). Given that I'm a longtime user and I've been following Apple products for years, I know the Wallet app is secure and private. I know that Apple isn't collecting user data to then blast us with ads and recommendations based on our purchases. But, as John Gruber rightly points out, it's likely that some iPhone users thought Apple might have tracked their spending habits to hit them with that F1 ad in the Wallet app. I wouldn't blame them. After all, we know that Google, Facebook, Instagram, and plenty of other apps track virtually everything we do online. I also wouldn't blame any iPhone users who might think the Wallet app is not secure as a result. But it is — Apple is not spying on us. With that said, I can't imagine why a company that made privacy and security a tentpole of its products, especially the iPhone, would decide to betray that trust by placing a commercial in a place nobody wants to see ads. Apple also did it without obtaining consent from users, which is all the more annoying. After all, Apple dealt a huge blow to companies like Facebook, who want to track us everywhere, by forcing them to ask for permission for tracking on iPhone. Apple could have easily pushed the ad in a different app. But it would have been just as bad. I'm already paying premium prices for Apple products that should come free of ads. Interestingly, I never got the ad, but maybe that's because I'm an European iPhone owner. I wanted to watch F1 as soon as it came out in theaters over here, which was Wednesday. But there have to be consequences for some of Apple's decisions. I am an Apple fan and customer, but I won't tolerate just anything. If ads become the norm in the Wallet app, I will switch back to using a physical card and store my passes elsewhere. For now, I won't pay to see F1 in theaters no matter how much I want to watch the movie or how good it sounds. Instead, I'll just wait for it to drop on Apple TV+, while also cheering for the Apple teams who make movies like F1 happen and who ensure that I can take apps like Wallet for granted, and not worry about privacy and security. I'll also say I'm pretty sure F1 doesn't need Wallet ads to become a box office hit this weekend. What's also clear here is that Apple has to think outside the box when it comes to its ad strategy. As The Verge observed, Apple keeps pulling ads after it releases them. It can't pull the F1 Wallet ad, but I'm sure it would do so if it were possible. Don't Miss: Today's deals: Nintendo Switch games, $5 smart plugs, $150 Vizio soundbar, $100 Beats Pill speaker, more More Top Deals Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2025: Get $2,000+ free See the
Al Etihad
26-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Air Arabia, Mbank transform air travel payments with AE Coin
SHARJAH (WAM) Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa's first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, and Al Maryah Community Bank (Mbank), the UAE's first fully integrated digital bank, have partnered to enable the use of AE Coin payments for flight bookings through the AEC Wallet App. This collaboration makes Air Arabia the first airline in the region to offer stablecoin-based payments, underscoring the carrier's commitment to offering innovative digital solutions to its customer base. As the UAE's first AED-backed stablecoin, AE Coin is pegged 1:1 to the UAE Dirham, ensuring price stability, security, and low transaction fees. With this integration, Air Arabia's customers can now select the AEC Wallet at checkout when booking via Arabia's website, offering a new convenient payment alternative that align with the UAE's vision of a digital-first economy. Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, Adel Al Ali, said, 'We are proud to partner with Mbank to introduce AE Coin as a secure and innovative payment option for our customers. At Air Arabia, we are committed to embracing digitalisation across our operations, and this partnership reflects our efforts to enhance our customer experience through technology. The newly introduced payment option through AEC Wallet reflects our ongoing efforts to adopt smart solutions that bring greater value, choice and flexibility to our growing customer base.' CEO of Mbank, Mohammed Wassim Khayata, commented, 'We are proud to partner with Air Arabia to offer AE Coin as a payment option for travelers. Air Arabia's strong reputation as a leading low-cost carrier operator serving a diverse customer base aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accessible, secure, and affordable digital payment solutions to our community. Through this partnership, we are not only enhancing the booking process but also contributing to the UAE's broader goal of creating a truly inclusive, digitally empowered financial ecosystem.'
