Does paying with Apple Cash (using Apple Pay) avoid this tracking/data reporting? If so, it's probably worth the 2% hit to maintain cash-like privacy. But if the data gets hoovered up the same, no point.
I also really hope that somebody steps up and fills the gap that the widespread disappearance of cash has left in terms of payments privacy and resiliency.
While Apple would be a great candidate from a technical point of view (unlike many other manufacturers, they exclusively control both the smartcard chip/"Secure Element" and the Secure Enclave in all of their devices, which would both be good candidate technologies for P2P digital cash that works without an internet connection), I don't see it happening.
Why would they pick a fight with banks, governments, and payment networks, when they can just continue in their position as part of that ecosystem?
Also, even as an Apple user I would find it quite concerning if we'd replace cash with a proprietary technology. And I don't exactly see Apple participating in or even driving the development of a new, open standard, unless possibly forced by a regulator.
