Do I ACTUALLY need an Apple Watch?

[Howard2k]

About half the stores I frequent don't have NFC payments

Seriously? Where do you live? 1995?

No, seriously, half the stores? I don't remember the last time I went to a store that didn't have NFC payments of some kind. I'm sure it did happen at least once last year but I couldn't tell you any details.

 

[jz0309]

It's not mentioned by many because it doesn't solve too many situations

If I'm at Whole Foods, I need to scan the in-store App code -- same for Costco

If I buy beer, even NA Beer (I don't drink anymore), it often requires an ID check (silly USA) -- thus my wallet and ID

About half the stores I frequent don't have NFC payments

on and on..

(I have Garmin Pay which works the same as Apple Pay ... and never use it, for the reasons above)

I haven't been to Whole Foods in a couple years but before then I always used AW to pay.
And I also use AW to pay at Costco, just gotta pick my Visa card which is not my default.

As it stands today, I cannot use AW for payment at Walmart and Home Depot and I avoid those as much as I can

 

[Howard2k]

I should add, 7/11 and Shell gas stations I cannot pay at the pump with my watch, I need to go inside and pay with my watch. I don't usually use those gas stations though.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Seriously? Where do you live? 1995?

No, seriously, half the stores? I don't remember the last time I went to a store that didn't have NFC payments of some kind. I'm sure it did happen at least once last year but I couldn't tell you any details.

Idaho - lol

Also, to be fair, some stores that have NFC (like Costco) require a membership scan, which isn't fully available on Watches at this point (at least that's my understanding as of last week). Even if that comes to the Watch, it borders on being clunky to pull up a membership barcode ... then do a separate NFC payment -- at that point just grab my phone which has both at the ready more easily and clearly.

My more overriding point is that...as soon as there are a couple situations where you might be left high and dry, most normal folks just say screw it on Watch payment and ensure to have their phone/wallet at the ready, which they know will cover all situations.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I'm surprised at how few comments there are about the sheer convenience of having Apple Pay on your wrist. I simply don’t carry a wallet, or even cash, anymore. Yes, I could use my phone, but I don't even need to have it with me, say, when popping into the garage to buy diesel for my car. The only time I have to use something else is at a drive thru, or a road toll booth, where it’s just plain awkward to reach across with my left hand (I’m in the UK). I recently wore my mechanical watch and tried to pay for something with it! Doh!

So I’d be lost without mine.

Apple Pay is my primary form of payment here in the UK too, everything from supermarkets, corner shops, car park meters, petrol pumps and tyre inflating machines accepts it. I rarely pay with a physical card and often don’t even carry my wallet either. My Apple Watch is worth every penny just for this feature alone.

 

[Howard2k]

Idaho - lol

Also, to be fair, some stores that have NFC (like Costco) require a membership scan, which isn't fully available on Watches at this point (at least that's my understanding as of last week)

My more overriding point is that...as soon as there are a couple situations where you might be left high and dry, most normal folks just say screw it on Watch payment and ensure to have their phone/wallet at the ready, which they know will cover all situations.

True. I still carry my phone. And I did, until very recently, keep a $20 in the back of my phone case too, just in case. Now that I have smashed the back glass to smithereens I don't.

 

[jz0309]

I should add, 7/11 and Shell gas stations I cannot pay at the pump with my watch, I need to go inside and pay with my watch. I don't usually use those gas stations though.

you could solve that problem by getting an EV

 

[Howard2k]

you could solve that problem by getting an EV

I'll send you my address, please swing one by

 

[jz0309]

Apple Pay is my primary form of payment here in the UK too, everything from supermarkets, corner shops, car park meters, petrol pumps and tyre inflating machines accepts it. I rarely pay with a physical card and often don’t even carry my wallet either. My Apple Watch is worth every penny just for this feature alone.

some areas in the US are really behind, but it's getting better ... and I really enjoyed using my AW last time I was in London and rode the tube, awesome experience

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

It's not mentioned by many because it doesn't solve too many situations

If I'm at Whole Foods, I need to scan the in-store App code -- same for Costco

If I buy beer, even NA Beer (I don't drink anymore), it often requires an ID check (silly USA) -- thus my wallet and ID

About half the stores I frequent don't have NFC payments

on and on..

(I have Garmin Pay which works the same as Apple Pay ... and never use it, for the reasons above)

North America is quite a bit behind the rest of the developed World when it comes to banking and contactless/NFC payments etc though. In Europe/UK it’s more of a challenge to find a vendor that will not accept Apple Pay/Android Pay and other contactless payments. We adopted contactless and even chip and pin almost a decade before it became popular in the US, so perhaps this sort of feature is a bit more relevant to the non-Americans here, hence why it’s not mentioned so much?

 

[turbineseaplane]

North America is quite a bit behind the rest of the developed World when it comes to banking and contactless/NFC payments etc though. In Europe/UK it’s more of a challenge to find a vendor that will not accept Apple Pay/Android Pay and other contactless payments. We adopted contactless and even chip and pin almost a decade before it became popular in the US, so perhaps this sort of feature is a bit more relevant to the non-Americans here, hence why it’s not mentioned so much?

Yep -- bums me out how far behind we are on this in N. Am

 

[jz0309]

North America is quite a bit behind the rest of the developed World when it comes to banking and contactless/NFC payments etc though. In Europe/UK it’s more of a challenge to find a vendor that will not accept Apple Pay/Android Pay and other contactless payments. We adopted contactless and even chip and pin almost a decade before it became popular in the US, so perhaps this sort of feature is a bit more relevant to the non-Americans here, hence why it’s not mentioned so much?

well, there is at least 1 country in the EU where I beg to differ: Germany. other than in larger cities, could not use my AW at all and plenty places did not even take credit cards - they are really behind ...

 

[sjdigital]

Yes, perhaps it’s a UK thing. The only place I can’t use my AW is the laundry where we get our bed linen ironed! But even there, it’s a preference for cash rather than the lack of the technology.

P.S. I actually used my AW to buy my car a couple of years ago - a five figure sum and absolutely no issues. Quite funny, really! The sales guy was quite taken aback.

 

[rockitdog]

I'm surprised at how few comments there are about the sheer convenience of having Apple Pay on your wrist. I simply don’t carry a wallet, or even cash, anymore. Yes, I could use my phone, but I don't even need to have it with me, say, when popping into the garage to buy diesel for my car. The only time I have to use something else is at a drive thru, or a road toll booth, where it’s just plain awkward to reach across with my left hand (I’m in the UK). I recently wore my mechanical watch and tried to pay for something with it! Doh!

So I’d be lost without mine.

I've never used Apple Pay on my wrist... maybe I should try it lol!

 

[arc of the universe]

I've never used Apple Pay on my wrist... maybe I should try it lol!

it is a highly liberating experience, i assure you.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

well, there is at least 1 country in the EU where I beg to differ: Germany. other than in larger cities, could not use my AW at all and plenty places did not even take credit cards - they are really behind ...

Interesting, I’ve only ever really visited the bigger cities in Germany, usually with work. Not had problems in France or Spain in small shops and villages so far.

I've never used Apple Pay on my wrist... maybe I should try it lol!

You should, it’s so convenient and quick, no wiggling a phone around waiting for the beep. Just double tap and you’ve paid in a second. I only ever use Apple Pay through my watch and just use my iPhone to store the loyalty cards in the wallet.

 

[cubodado]

Stocard has a watch app too and you can store there loyality cards that can’t get into wallet.

 

[M33-1]

Yes, yes, and yes. Don’t think about it.

 

[mk313]

Stocard has a watch app too and you can store there loyality cards that can’t get into wallet.

There is also an app Called Pass2U Wallet that allows you to make loyalty cards into tiles that go into the wallet app with your credit/debit cards.

 

[Ctrlos]

I only ever use mine as a timepiece+. Yeah perhap I could live without maps, pay or step tracking. But the act of setting alarms or timers is just so much easier than on a regular watch that its worth keeping. I also like it as a fashion piece.

I don't wear my watch at home and just chuck it on the charging stand with my phone as soon as I get in.

 

[jtptus]

Waxing philosophical, I probably do not ‘need’ most of the things I have amassed. That said, the Apple Watch health/exercise monitoring piece is something I use daily. NFC: when it works, it is really handy. Sometimes it does not. I went through a McDonald’s drive-thru for coffee, a rare visit. The NFC did not work and I held up the line fumbling for an alternative method of payment. Hit or miss. On a recent trip to Japan to visit relatives, the NFC/Apple technology interface was seamless. Who knew?

 

[MisterSavage]

I'm surprised at how few comments there are about the sheer convenience of having Apple Pay on your wrist. I simply don’t carry a wallet, or even cash, anymore. Yes, I could use my phone, but I don't even need to have it with me, say, when popping into the garage to buy diesel for my car.

I wasn't sold on the Apple Watch the first week I had it but Apple Pay was what pushed me over the edge. It is unbelievably convenient having a payment system on your wrist.

 

[Surfsalot]

Does Apple Pay work with the no cellular watch and no phone with you?

 

[sjdigital]

Does Apple Pay work with the no cellular watch and no phone with you?

Yes it does - see https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/watch/apd76424826d/watchos

 

[arc of the universe]

Does Apple Pay work with the no cellular watch and no phone with you?

hi

this chart might be of help...

Use your Apple Watch without your iPhone nearby - Apple Support

Learn what you can do with your Apple Watch when your iPhone isn't with you.

support.apple.com

*notice that you can change (at the very bottom of the screen) the country where you are in to get precise info of what does/doesnt work in each region/country if you are not in the USA.

one more thing that might be of help: on older Watches the implementation of NFC and payment systems that use that particular variety of NFC may not work in all countries where otherwise (some other implementation of) NFC works. but, the good news is that on all Watches (from at least Series 7 if not a little before) if your Watch has NFC (which all of them do) then your NFC system does work everywhere. apps may be country specific but all varieties of the NFC system work everywhere, on any more recent iPhone and/or Watch.