Apple Watch now lets US users send money to friends with Apple Pay Cash

(Image credit: Apple)

Image credit: Apple

Originally a questionable device, the Apple Watch continues to come into its own thanks to a steady rollout of appealing features for watchOS. The latest of these is Apple Pay Cash, which now lets Apple Watch users in the US send money to any other iOS users directly through the smartwatch's interface.

The only real requirement is that both sender and receiver have iPhones running iOS 11.2 and that you have a debit or credit card linked to your Apple Pay account.

The actual act of sending cash is quite simple. Just open the Messages app as though you were about to send a text message to a friend, and you'll find a new option for sending money via Apple Pay Cash at the bottom of a conversation. Follow the prompts, decide on a number, and off it goes. (Sending money through Facebook Messenger works much the same way.)

The money gets sent in the form of funds on a digital Apple Pay Cash card, which can then be used to purchase items through Apple Pay or sent directly through a bank account. You can also use the service through Siri, although we'd exercise caution given Siri's tendency to mix up "fifteen" and "fifty."

Apple Pay Cash only came to iPhones last weekend, so the release of iOS 11.2 represents a remarkably swift turnaround for Apple Watch support. 

The feature is currently only available in the US, although that will likely change in the coming months. Apple Pay proper was originally limited to the US as well, but began spreading to other countries several months after release.

Steady improvements

This is but another step in the ongoing improvement of the Apple Watch, which received a big boost this year with the Apple Watch 3 when Apple finally eliminated the need to have a paired iPhone nearby by offering onboard LTE connectivity.

Previously, in watchOS 4.1, Apple introduced the ability to stream Apple Music and listen to music from your iCloud library  on your Apple Watch solely by being connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.

To download watchOS 4.1, simply place your Apple Watch on the charger with at least a 50% charge, ensure it's connected to a Wi-Fi connection,and start the update through Watch > General > Software Update.

TOPICS
Latest in Smartwatches
OnePlus Watch 3
The OnePlus Watch 2 won't get Wear OS 5 until Q3 of this year, and the news for the OnePlus Watch 3 is even worse
Honor Watch 5 Ultra
Honor's new Android smartwatch has a 1.5-inch AMOLED display, 15 days of battery life, and works with iPhone and Android
NHL Apple Watch ref
Apple Watch is transforming the way NHL games are refereed
Apple Watch series 9 on a blue background with the text lowest price
Apple Watch Series 9 falls to lowest-ever price on Amazon with a massive 33% off
Apple watch pair with iphone
Apple sued over 'false and misleading' Apple Watch claims – here's what you need to know
Apple Watch app health
I was sick for a week – here are six health changes my Apple Watch spotted
Latest in News
An operator fires a saw blade from a weapon
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 3 gets two-week delay, will now release in April
Apple iPad A16
Apple's new entry-level iPad ups the performance for the same price, but doesn't support Apple Intelligence
iPad Air M3
Apple updates iPad Air with powerful M3 chip and pairs it with Pro-level Magic Keyboard
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 in blue
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 might improve on its predecessor in one crucial way
Nvidia RTX 5070 Founders Edition GPU shown against a green and black backdrop
Nvidia RTX 5070 early pricing hints at plenty of GPUs at the MSRP – but I’ll believe it when I see it
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he signs an executive order to create a US sovereign wealth fund, in the Oval Office of the White House on February 3, 2025, in Washington, DC.
US set to pause cyber-offensive operations against Russia - but CISA says it won't stop