Chantal Tode, writing for MobileCommerceDaily:
Mass merchant giant Walmart has introduced an Apple Watch application, suggesting that the device could have a broad market appeal while cementing the retailer’s role as a leader in mobile retail.
While there has been no shortage of marketers jumping in with Apple Watch apps since the device, Walmart’s entry here is notable given the retailer’s value positioning, which is in stark contrast to the $349 starting price for the Apple Watch. Walmart’s app is an extension to the retailer’s iPhone app, enabling customers to use their Apple Watch to check items off their shopping list while they shop without having to take out their phone.
As a reminder, Walmart is the biggest name behind CurrentC, the competitor to Apple Pay, created by the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX).
They had an iPhone app already (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id338137227). Seems reasonable that they’d support the watch in an update. Though they don’t sell watches as costly as $400, they do offer sell jewelry that costs more than double that. Not to mention smartphones and other electronics. All in all, seems like a reasonable thing to do.
“It’s complicated.”
I’ve finally had a chance to use my Apple Watch with Apple Pay.
CurrentC has no hope.
Walmart has nothing against Apple, or even Apple Pay per se—it’s beef is with having to hand over a couple of percent of each transaction to a 3rd-party, whomever that is. Even alluding to a chasm between down-market Walmart and high-end Apple is a bit of a stretch. Walmart Labs is here in the Bay Area, and they acqui-hired Raven Zachery a fairly well-know iOS developer, and his company, years ago.
” Walmart is the biggest name behind CurrentC, the competitor to Apple Pay, created by the Merchant Customer Exchange”
I think you can only be a competitor if you actually have a competing product. At the moment CurrentC is still in Beta and all the exclusive contracts are running out in the Fall, hence Best Buy and Home Depot saying that they will accept Apple Pay then.