Apple’s payment-enable smartwatch may still be months off, but PayPal is hoping to beat the Cupertino-based tech giant to the punch with watch-based payments at physical retailers. The payment company today debuted its application for the Pebble smartwatch, which allows users to make purchases at supported locations.
Unlike the Apple Watch and its associated payment system, PayPal’s app doesn’t require a connected smartphone to use. It also doesn’t support NFC-based transactions. Instead, it generates a payment code that can be used to check out and charge an order to a user’s account. In some stores users will also be able to check out simply by checking into the store through the app.
Another difference between the two payment systems is the fact that the PayPal app can only charge your account on that service, while Apple Pay works with most credit and debit cards, giving users greater control over where the charges will show up.
Apple released the software development kit for the Apple Watch earlier today, and promised that a future version of the software would allow for apps that can run natively on the watch without the need for a connected iPhone. Theoretically PayPal could release an app for that platform as well, though it doesn’t seem Apple is allowing developers to access the NFC chip except is special circumstances.
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revolutionary.
Lost me at “generate a pay code”. The beauty in Apple Pay is its simplicity and some could argue easier to use than swiping a credit card. Generating a pay code sounds terrible, slow, and will be out-dated quickly. I can just picture checking out “Hmm that code isn’t working, say it again? 9876267…”
Interesting
Get real, nobody is going to use this – perhaps a small fraction of those that have a Pebble, which isn’t that many to begin with.
At least use the Bluetooth transmit the one-time only code, and ask for my pin.
Lazy gimmick generator.
If Paypal at least used TouchID login, I might consider using it in stores. But to have to type out my password in a store to login to an app? Not going to happen.
Woo-hoo! First post!!!! Woo-hoo!!!!!!
oh, wait
Payment code? Where’s the “punchy” in that? More like “PayPal beats Apple to the light girlie slap on the side of the arm”.
“PayPal beats Apple to the punch” – wait, with THIS? Laughable headline.
Excuse me, but in my opinion Pepple watch is so ugly :) Only metallic looks fine. And not so secure.
Much like a lot of other “Copy Cat Companies” – Grab a headline, and then lose my interest in the details. A non-starter for me.
My PayPal account was hacked – but I paid nothing as PayPal ‘fixed’ it….. Still people trust the security at PayPal?
This is a joke, no one will use this. A code? What I’m supposed to sit there and rattle off a code to the cashier possibly more than once as they type it in wrong? Or hold up my wrist while they look at it to type it in? This is laughable…. Even worse than the garbage of CurrentC.
I still think the pebble would be horrible to use with no touch screen. I wonder if android wear and apple watch will support nfc payments in the future. I don’t think any wear watch has had nfc yet