Thread · HN Continuity

> The actual answer is there's operational cost to handling cash, or payment methods beyond the ones that cover 99.9% people well.

Overhead handling cash is understandable, but otherwise the point makes no sense.

If you use an app, you probably have an account in some database someplace that holds your contact, billing, and balance information. That account has to be available online for the app on people's smartphones via API calls.

You also need a web portal: if someone loses/breaks their smartphone, and they need to re-install their app, they need to be able to login without the app to perhaps get their credentials again to attach to their app.

That backend has to be able to handle automated monthly payments, as well as manual top-ups via debit, and even cash for those not comfortable with giving payment information:

* <a href="https://www.gotransit.com/en/ways-to-pay/many-ways-to-pay-using-presto/types-of-machines" rel="nofollow">https://www.gotransit.com/en/ways-to-pay/many-ways-to-pay-us...

The effort needed to be able to register/handle NFC cards is not much more than having to register/handle the NFC system on smartphone wallets:

* <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_fare_collection" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_fare_collection

* <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_(electronic_ticketing_system)" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_(electronic_ticketing_...

* <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIPURSE" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIPURSE

In many cases the cards came first and were later addable to various e-wallets:

* <a href="https://prestocard.ca/en/products/presto-on-iphone" rel="nofollow">https://prestocard.ca/en/products/presto-on-iphone

* <a href="https://prestocard.ca/en/products/presto-in-google-wallet" rel="nofollow">https://prestocard.ca/en/products/presto-in-google-wallet