“Although Apple Pay has been available for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users since October, it works differently with Apple Watch, which arrives in retail on April 24,” Michael deAgonia reports for Computerworld.
“In stores, Apple Pay relies on the contact-less payment Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities built into new iPhones. As long as the phone is not turned off, it will recognize a nearby NFC-compatible terminal and instantly display your default card. To authenticate the transaction, Apple Pay uses the iPhone’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner,” deAgonia reports. “But the watch lacks the iPhone’s Touch ID sensor, which until now was necessary for the system to work.”
“To enable Apple Pay on the watch, you first create a four-digit passcode using the companion Apple Watch app (which is part of iOS 8.2),” deAgonia reports. “The passcode is used to authorize Apple Pay when you put the watch on your wrist, and it’s smart enough to know when the Watch has been taken off. (It will prompt you to enter the passcode the next time you put it back on to help prevent someone from snatching your watch and using it to make payments.)”
Read about the rest of the process in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Seamless.
Apple Pay is going to be a major reason why people wear Apple Watches.