Celebrating a Decade of the PayByPhone iOS App
The Early Days
When the iPhone App Store launched, every company wanted to have an app. At the time, many businesses simply wrapped their mobile website inside an app container and published it to the App Store—even if it wasn't truly a native mobile experience.
We started there too. But we knew we wanted to build something better.
Building a Real Mobile Experience
To create a proper iPhone app, we first had to build the foundations:
- New APIs
- New customer integrations
- A fully native iOS application
It took 18 months of development, but 10 years ago we launched the first PayByPhone app fully built by our teams and powered by our own APIs.
This was a turning point. Instead of focusing on technical limitations, we could focus on what mattered most: the driver experience.
A New Era for Parking
The native app allowed us to take advantage of everything a smartphone could offer:
- Bluetooth capabilities
- Location services
- NFC interactions with parking meters
- Dynamic labels and personalized user experiences
For the first time in the parking industry, operators could customize parking zones with their own photos and branding for off-street parking.
We also introduced several industry-first innovations:
- Guest checkout functionality
- Apple Watch support
- Smarter, more intuitive parking experiences
At a time when most parking technology was designed around the needs of cities and operators, we focused on drivers.
Putting Drivers First
Our goal was simple: make parking easier.
By prioritizing customer experience and design, we helped increase user adoption and transformed how people interacted with parking services.
The industry took notice.
And before long, many of these innovations became standard features across the market.
Looking Ahead
Ten years later, mobility continues to evolve.
Drivers' habits are changing. Electric vehicles are becoming mainstream. Low-emission regulations are reshaping transportation. The way people park, pay, and move around cities is changing faster than ever.
That's why we're continuing to innovate:
- EV charging integration
- Navigation directly to charging points
- New mobility services designed for the future
The Next Chapter
As we expand into new markets, we're building for what comes next.
Whatever the future of urban mobility looks like, our mission remains the same: work closely with cities and partners to anticipate drivers' needs and deliver the best possible experience.
Ten years ago, we helped redefine mobile parking.
Today, we're helping shape the future of mobility.