Is that like tapping a card then? (Call me old fashioned but…) 
yes, it works similar to Samsung pay where you have a dedicated tfl card so no need to turn on the phone for it to work
Yes but while you need to remember your card or wallet, everyone has their phone glued to their hand, so much less likely to forget it.
That’s perhaps a generational thing. I’m much less likely to forget my wallet than my phone 
But there’s no way to add an oyster?
No, TfL Oyster is not a supported transport card at this time. TfL is not interested in supporting this at this time. The functionality is there but TfL would need to work with Apple.
The functionality isn’t there on the TfL side. As far as I know, Oyster processing has never been migrated to the back-end systems despite all the promises a couple of years ago.
It does not need to be backend. iOS supports device side storage ala Sucia. When you migrate to Apple Wallet.
When you migrate the phone reads the card and wipes it and loads it device side.
Ooh. Snazzy!
I’ve not heard that level of detail before.
Of course, if they processed it on the back-end it wouldn’t be necessary
I wouldn’t have noticed it was Starling if it hadn’t been mentioned in this thread and I’d zoomed in tbh. Looks like a pretty generic card. They’re missing a trick not having hot coral in there grabbing attention…
Ignorant Northener here…is there a benefit to using an Oyster card over paying with Apple pay (or any other phyiscal debit card)?
Now that TFL supports express mode, would ditching the Oyster card be a consideration?
Genuinley curious
For those with “longer than weekly” travelcards or with railcard discounts, Oyster is the only option (at the moment).
As @Feathers mentioned, Oyster cards/photocards are the only option for those that acquire ‘long’ travelcards or have a railcard discount (or students that get the discounted travelcards with the 18+ Student photocard).
In addition, kids need an Oyster photocard to avail of the cheaper fairs.
I forgot that one, which is surprising since I’ve just had to fork out for a replacement for one of the kids’ cards.
I travel to London occasionally and prefer to use an Oyster card rather than a contactless bank card (or a phone). Oyster is in a wallet of its own (currently a rather nice Tate Britain one with a Whistler painting of the Thames). If I lose the Oyster card it’s not as much of an inconvenience as losing my bank card or phone, which can stay safely out of harm’s way.
Oyster is cheaper than weekly fares on contactless.
Annual Travelcard is by far cheapest for someone who travels 5 days a week even if holiday is taken into account.
Contactless is actually capped at a weekly travelcard fare, whereas Oyster could cost you more if you pay as you go weekly.