TALKING POINT | The new Apple Watch will arrive in stores and on wrists in March 2015, and among its high-tech tricks will be serving as an airline boarding pass and unlocking your room at Starwood hotels.
Apple's smartwatch joins the cavalcade of 'wristwear' from Sony, Samsung, Motorola and LG, but the US$349 gadget already boasts some features specifically targeted at travellers.
We’ve already seen sneak peeks of Watch apps from American Airlines, British Airways and Lufthansa which keep track of your frequent flyer account, your flights and even your boarding passes:
That’s similar to the Passbook feature already available on the current breed of iPhones and used by both Qantas and Virgin Australia for mobile boarding:
The Apple Watch Starwood Preferred Guest app will also double as your room key at most Starwood properties including Sheraton, Westin, and W Hotels:
(Note that Hilton Hotels also plans to introduce mobile phone room keys across most of its hotels worldwide by the end of 2016.)
But are these apps – or indeed, any of the Apple Watch's features – enough to sway you?
Does the promise of wrist-worn boarding passes and hotel room keys tempt you to buy an Apple Watch, or are you happy with a conventional watch on your wrist and a smartphone in your pocket?
For the latest information for business travellers and frequent flyers, follow @AusBT on Twitter.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
22 Jul 2014
Total posts 7
managed to get rid of the habbit wearing a watche years ago, now you want me to wear it again? no thanks.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
No. It's Apple. I don't want iAnything.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Nov 2011
Total posts 121
Why does one feel the need to bash Apple? If it's not your cup of tea say its not for you, but to just rule it out because its made by Apple is really just plain close minded
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
Because everything Apple does is overhyped and overpriced.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
Yep, a great example is the iphone 6 - check this
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
Sadly no different tmsmile from the various bun fights about airlines here on AusBT - a small number of posters here don't discuss positives AND negatives but pursue absolute positions (one eyed fan boys/haters), so really no surprise that you can get the same about brands of phones/watches. This is despite reality ever being so black or white.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
Unofortunately comparisons of these 2 systems are black and white, its not philosophy!!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
I find it hard to credit that any rational assessment can conclude there is not one single positive element to anything. That beggars belief, and feels more like someone just poisoning the well.
Velocity
19 Jun 2013
Total posts 66
Gee Whiz!!! Oh yeah... does it actually show the time?
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
Are ausbt headline writers aware of Briffault's Law?
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
Oops, I meant Betteridge's Law.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
Gold
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
It will take too long for all hotels / pay points to get involved and I would be surprised if any really did. Too much of a novelty that is not widely enough accepted to be of any use
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
You can only go off the details currently confirmed, but *it could be quite useful* if you own a compatible iPhone and some of these special benefits don't end up only found in America. If it becomes widely able to be used as a boarding pass, door key, or credit card, that can be processed with little more than a flick of a wrist then it can free up a hand and speed up (hopefully) such activities. So much depends on third parties though, so it's too early to say right now, other than it has the potential to be useful. The phone specific functions are relevant for now, but aren't unique to Apple Watch, and there still is some question of whether battery life may prove an annoyance. And until it actually gets released/available, it's all navel gazing for now.
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