“Switzerland has launched an investigation into a number of its financial companies, including big banks like Credit Suisse and UBS” Spriha Srivastava reports for CNBC. “WEKO, the country’s competition watchdog, said Thursday that it will investigate some of the biggest financial firms for a suspected boycott of mobile payment solutions such as Apple Pay.”
“The list of firms to be investigated includes Aduno Holding, Postfinance, Swisscard and Swiss units of Credit Suisse and UBS, WEKO said,” Srivastava reports. “The competition watchdog also added that raids were carried out at offices of the companies being investigated.”
“Local media reports suggest that the investigation is aimed at clarifying whether several Swiss financial institutions have reached an agreement to boycott mobile payment solutions from international providers such as Apple Pay,” Srivastava reports. “‘We do not comment on ongoing investigations, but would like to point out that in 2016 we tried to reach an agreement with Apple Pay regarding the use of UBS credit cards. Although we have offered several alternatives, unfortunately no agreement could be reached,’ UBS said in a statement.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Other banks and financial companies seem to have been able to reach deals with Apple, once they stopped asking for craziness they’d never get like access to iPhone’s NFC chip or similar stupidities that would destroy the security of Apple devices.
SEE ALSO:
Australian Banks tell Apple: It’s not about your Apple Pay Fees, it’s about access to NFC – February 13, 2017
Apple Pay boss says Aussie customers willing to dump banks who fail to support Apple Pay – February 10, 2017
Apple steps up battle with Australian banks over Apple Pay boycott motive – February 6, 2017
ACCC proposes to deny authorisation for banks to collectively bargain with and boycott Apple on Apple Pay – November 29, 2016
Australian banks dismiss Android NFC past in Apple Pay negotiations – November 14, 2016
Australian banks accuse Apple of anti-competitive behavior, want access to iPhone’s NFC chip to take on Apple Pay – July 28, 2016
It’s all about the fees.
So while Swiss banks have been boycotting Apple Pay, Apple copied Swiss Railway / Mondaine watch face without paying Royalty
https://www.cultofmac.com/196158/apples-deal-for-swiss-clock-design-breaks-mondaines-exclusive-licensing-agreement/
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/el4gqyocis3l0x553esom0ztqfjl5r
The reality is that Apple paid an amount rumoured to be more than $20million to SBB, the Swiss Federal Railway Service to use that design, but Mondaine, a watch manufacturer claim that their licence for that same design from SBB is exclusive for Mondaine wristwatches. I haven’t heard any more about that story since 2012, so assume that Mondaine is not actively pursuing any legal action.
As Apple Pay was launched in 2014, two years after Apple paid SBB to licence that design, it’s misleading to claim that Swiss Banks resistance to Apple Pay was in some way linked to, or happening at the same time as Apple’s unlicensed use of that design.
Apple hired an outside designer to create a Watch face. Apple accepted and implemented the design it contracted. It was at that time SBB notified Apple the the design it was using infringed its copyrighted design.
At that point Apple negotiated a use license with SBB for the design.
Apple’s contracted designer erred and Apple paid for it.
As usual Snoop Dog you are grossly misinformed on the facts.