The iOS 12 release in September 2018 was a rough one for Apple Pay Suica users. It brought new problems like random gate errors, and left old problems, like unresponsive Suica Recharge and Suica balance not updating, unfixed. Everyone experienced problems, everyone except A12 Bionic iPhone XS and iPhone XR users, that is.
iOS 12 was especially tough on Revision B iPhone X Suica users. They had suffered from the iPhone X NFC Suica problem, had finally gotten a NFC error free Rev. B iPhone that worked great on iOS 11. The sudden experience of plunging back to error filled square one was a cruel twist of fate that left them confused and upset.
iOS 12.3 fixed everything for everyone, with trouble free wicked fast Apple Pay Suica performance. It is the best Apple Pay Express Transit iOS that Apple has ever delivered. However, Rev. B iPhone X owners are still worried. One owner told me, “I think that I’ll have the same problem all over again with iOS 13.”
This is a perfectly understandable concern, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret: if you are using iOS 12.3, you are already using iOS 13 Apple Pay Wallet. Apple simply has not told you yet.
iOS 12.3 Apple Pay Wallet is a whole new thing. The changes Apple made to it in iOS 12.2~iOS 12.3 are massive. Express Transit performance gains, and the new EMV Express Transit option are equally massive. Most people assume that the Wallet changes are for Apple Card, which they are, but few people understand that the changes are also for the Apple Pay Transit support of HOP, Ventra, NY MTA, and more, which Tim Cook announced along with Apple Card on March 25.
In short, Rev. B iPhone X users, and all iPhone users, have nothing to worry about anymore. If your Apple Pay Suica or Apple Pay HOP is working great on iOS 12.3, it’s going to work great on iOS 13 too.