09-10-2014, 05:45 PM
I realized a critical feature of the Apple Watch that I heard but did not understand until this morning.
The Apple Watch works with Apple Pay.
So what, you say?
It means that older iPhone owners who have iPhone 5, 5c and 5S models get to buy their way into the easy world of post-credit card payment by getting an Apple Watch.
Here's how I think the Apple Watch will land as a must-have:
1) It's a watch. As the smart phones have gotten bigger, getting them in and out of pockets or purses gets to be more of a pain. I was in the 'never look back and own a watch camp' before I got my Pebble. Now I use it all the time and every day.
2) It's an easy notification screen for texts and VIP emails.
3) It's easy payment. I just saved at least 5 minutes today by using the credit cad-only line for lunch. In a year, this will be the NFC-only line and checkout will be simply holding the smartphone - or Apple Watch! - in front of the reader.
All of the rest of the Apple Watch uses are extras, and good for niche markets. Fitness, Siri, etc - they will be used by some, but not everyone.
But the top three are all convenience factors for everyone, everyday.
Having a central place with my frequent sandwich club cards, gift cards, and credit cards all in one place - and literally accessible by the flick of a wrist - this is a big deal.
Convenience trumps everything in our modern world. Will everyone jump on the Apple Watch bandwagon right away? No - not every merchant will have the NFC system, etc.
But I can see a future where the Apple Watch - or its Android paralog - is soimething most current smart phone users own.
The Apple Watch works with Apple Pay.
So what, you say?
It means that older iPhone owners who have iPhone 5, 5c and 5S models get to buy their way into the easy world of post-credit card payment by getting an Apple Watch.
Here's how I think the Apple Watch will land as a must-have:
1) It's a watch. As the smart phones have gotten bigger, getting them in and out of pockets or purses gets to be more of a pain. I was in the 'never look back and own a watch camp' before I got my Pebble. Now I use it all the time and every day.
2) It's an easy notification screen for texts and VIP emails.
3) It's easy payment. I just saved at least 5 minutes today by using the credit cad-only line for lunch. In a year, this will be the NFC-only line and checkout will be simply holding the smartphone - or Apple Watch! - in front of the reader.
All of the rest of the Apple Watch uses are extras, and good for niche markets. Fitness, Siri, etc - they will be used by some, but not everyone.
But the top three are all convenience factors for everyone, everyday.
Having a central place with my frequent sandwich club cards, gift cards, and credit cards all in one place - and literally accessible by the flick of a wrist - this is a big deal.
Convenience trumps everything in our modern world. Will everyone jump on the Apple Watch bandwagon right away? No - not every merchant will have the NFC system, etc.
But I can see a future where the Apple Watch - or its Android paralog - is soimething most current smart phone users own.