Wearable wallet: watch payments incoming from Optus

Left your wallet at home? Just pay with your phone. Left your phone behind? Pay with your watch!

Optus has announced it will be expanding its Cash by Optus NFC payment app later in the year with a proof of concept (POC) that will include Apple handsets and wearables running both iOS and Android.

The contactless payment app, powered by Visa PayWave, will soon enable users to make purchases without having their wallet or phone at hand – no more bulky pockets.

Smartphone-free

While most wearables need a linked handset to access their full functionality, Optus claims this will not be the case when making wearable payments via Cash by Optus.

Once the app is updated, users will be able to make wearable payments without a connected handset. Then, once the wearable is back in range of the smartphone it will sync up via Bluetooth, updating the user's account balance.

Cash by Optus enables contactless payments under $100 – no, you won't be buying a new car via your watch – and is currently available to Optus customers on monthly plans with a compatible Android handset.