Apple Watch makes Apple Pay even better for accessibility

"We love this kind of problem. This is exactly what Apple does best."

That's how Tim Cook prefaced the reveal of Apple Pay last September—by talking about the many issues with physical credit cards. To me, Apple Pay is emblematic of what Apple does best: integrating hardware and software in a seamless, easy to use way that truly does "just work." It feels like magic every time I use it.

I wrote last year about the accessibility merits of Apple Pay in context of my iPhone 6, and those words remain true today. But with the advent of Apple Watch, Apple's payments service is taken to the next level in terms of accessibility. For as great as Apple Pay is on my iPhone, it's my strong belief that the experience is even better on my wrist.

It's the motor

For me, the big reason why Apple Pay on my Apple Watch is a usability win is it saves my muscles from hard work.

By "hard work," I mean that, as a person with cerebral palsy, my muscles are weaker than normal --- hence, I suffer from motor delays, particularly on my right side. In this case, even a seemingly mundane task like getting my phone out of my pocket can be difficult. It takes a lot of energy for me to reach my hand into my pocket and use my fingers to grasp my phone. This is true despite the fact that I always keep my phone in my left pocket, as my left hand is dominant (and strongest).

With Apple Pay on my watch, however, I needn't reach into my pocket at all. All I do is double-press the side button, hold my wrist near the reader, and wait for the tap. To again quote Tim Cook, "that's it!"

Why dexterity matters

I felt a sense of de ja vu writing the previous section, because the reasons for using the watch over the phone are the same reasons I cited for using the phone over a tactile credit card.

The difference may seem trivial, but it isn't. I feel so much better --- freer, even --- using my Apple Watch to pay for my coffee at Starbucks, for instance. I don't feel anxious or frustrated by struggling to get my phone out to pay; I also don't feel any physical pain either.

As someone who isn't as dexterous as a fully-abled person, these little things mean a lot. Not only is Apple Pay on the watch alleviating me of physical stress, but it reduces much emotional stress. More importantly, it raises my self-esteem, insofar that I'm more able to use and enjoy such an inclusive and empowering feature.

My point isn't that Apple Pay on my iPhone is worse than on Apple Watch. I've loved using Apple Pay on my phone. Rather, my point is simply that the Watch's form factor makes Apple Pay more accessible to me.

What Apple Pay says about the Apple Watch

I recently wrote a piece for Macworld in which I discuss the accessibility of Apple Watch apps. In a nutshell, my high-level take is that I don't see the watch as an app-centric device like I do the iPhone. Moreover, because of my visual needs, I try hard to be uber selective about which apps I want to interact with on my wrist.

As I alluded to in that story, Apple Pay has proven to be one of my "killer apps" on my Apple Watch. I think Apple Watch was made for something like Apple Pay --- much more so than scrolling through one's Instagram feed. From an accessibility perspective, the watch is not only great for paying for stuff, but I can see how helpful the watch could be for opening doors or turning on and off lights in the house (via HomeKit). For the motor-impaired, the watch has a lot of potential as an accessibility tool. My experiences with Apple Pay is just one example what's possible (and what will be possible).

The future is bright

Using Apple Pay on my watch has made me even more bullish about the Watch's future.

As I wrote at the outset, I think Apple Pay is quintessential Apple. The company has made paying with credit cards easier, faster, and more secure. More to the point, Apple's created a system that's accessible to anyone --- now more than ever with Apple Watch.