Octopus integration, Hong Kong transit in iPhone update – pay with your card on Apple Watch and get directions in Cantonese

Once an Octopus account has been added to Apple Wallet, the entire account goes digital and the physical card will no longer work

MTR and bus routes have been added to Apple Maps and Siri can be asked to provide turn-by-turn navigation instructions in Cantonese or English

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Using the digital Octopus is just like using the actual card: tap or swipe the iPhone or Apple Watch to an Octopus reader and the transaction is made. Photo: Apple

Published: 10:36am, 2 Jun 2020Updated: 10:43am, 2 Jun 2020

Apple iPhone users in Hong Kong woke up to a surprise software update this morning which brings two major features to Apple’s ecosystem: Octopus card integration and a real-time transit schedule for Apple Maps.

Once updated, users can add their Octopus account to their Apple Wallet. Using the digital Octopus is just like using the actual card: tap or swipe the iPhone or Apple Watch to an Octopus reader and the transaction is made.

Apple gives its users an optional layer of protection: it can request biometric authentication – a face or fingerprint scan, depending on the iPhone model used – before payment is made.

Value can be topped up digitally via any Hong Kong-issued bank or credit card, or via cash at any 7-Eleven or MTR Customer Service Centre.

Once an Octopus card has been transferred to an Apple device, the Octopus account becomes entirely digital. Photo: Apple

One important thing to note: once an Octopus card has been transferred to an Apple device, the Octopus account becomes entirely digital. This means the physical card will stop working.

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