Like many people, I’ve previously come to regard the Apple Watch as ugly, inconvenient and pointless.

Initially I awaited its arrival with interest.  I trialed it with enthusiasm to learn how this new bit of hardware might help, and maybe even transform, my life.

But over time I found that I was using it less and less, the usability issues became harder to accommodate and the incessant buzzing on my wrist became more irritating than helpful.

And so, along with many people, I drifted away from its use.  It wasn’t a deliberate decision; more a question of losing interest.  And so for the last six months my Apple Watch has been relegated to the role of test device for app development.

That’s not to say that there aren’t many people who love their Apple Watch. There are plenty of people who love being so intimately aware of incoming phone calls, upcoming meetings, text messages, driving instructions, etc.  And there is a sizable population who like it for its fitness and health benefits.

It’s just that I’m not one of them.  I don’t use the fitness monitoring; I’m more irritated than excited by the alerts; and to be honest, I don’t like that it looks less like a a quality time piece and more like a small phone strapped to my wrist.  Call me traditional… but it doesn’t help that I don’t like its appearance.

And I’m not alone – the internet is full of people bagging the device – all of which probably accounts for the watch’s apparent low sales volumes.

However, the other day, ANZ launched Apple Pay in Australia (disclosure:  I’m an ANZ customer) and I tried out Apple Pay, both on the phone and on the watch:  and I think I might be prepared to change my mind.

Continue reading “Can Apple Pay help to save Apple Watch?” →