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Comment by jgrahamc | Hacker News Reader

Yes, I agree that price vs. functionality is poor. I don't understand the appeal of Apple Pay at all (at least in the UK). We have contactless debit cards for quick payments and the last thing I want to do is hand over banking details to a third party.

Apple Pay seems like the sort of thing that's needed in the US because of the woefully backwards payment infrastructure.

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I find I use Apple Pay a lot in the UK despite my contactless cards because I cycle so my phone and wallet are in my bag - it's nice to only take the phone out. A cheap Apple-Pay-on-my-wrist would be cool, but I'd probably still have my phone in my pocket so I doubt it'd be a meaningful improvement at all. It's all very small though, like you said contactless debit cards are fine.

In Australia, you can get a "pay tag", basically a sepearate chip attached to your credit account. The back has an adhesive that you can stick to the back of your phone or whatever. This is usually free.

I use Apple pay here in the UK when I don't want to pull out my wallet for a contactless payment. It also ensures that I always have at least one contactless card on me for use on the tube if I ever walk out of the door without my wallet (downside is that because I am not totally screwed without my wallet I seem to leave it behind a bit more than I ever did before...)

I use it for a few reasons (in the US):

1) Don't have to touch or open my wallet to get at it

2) More secure than either debit or credit because it's a 1-time generated card number

3) Harder for the merchant to track my purchases because it's a different number every time

4) Isn't linked directly to my checking account so I can't lose money if there's a mistake or fraud

Contactless debit cards are widespread but not ubiquitous in the UK. My bank won't give me a contactless card (they don't say why) but Apple will, so Apple Pay is useful.

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