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Apple Watch Sport sets off security alarms in shops
- Thread starter Listerman
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Well I was going to make my first tweet to get things going, but it seems everyone has beat me to it.
I don't see it being the watch, just malfunctioning door security alarms. My wife went into several store in the mall today with her and no alarms. NFC chips are everywhere nowadays I even have them in my key fob for my car. Sounds like the store need get the door security system recalibrated.
I'd say it definitely depends upon the alarm. I remember when I worked at Lowe's we basically ignored the alarm since it would go off multiple times a day. Certain cell phones, and car keys would set it off. I think we even had some steel-toe boots sit it off once.
I've only been in one store with a security system (a large grocery chain) since getting the watch, but it didn't react. I was able to use Apple Pay on the watch for the first time though!
Wife and I were both in Walgreens together today. She has the sport with white band, I have the SS with classic buckle. No alarms in or out. The cashier was pretty awestruck when I put my arm out for my rewards card, and then paid from my watch. He asked if I even had a phone since the watch seemed to do everything. Funny thing is when he asked, I reached for my phone and realized I'd left it in the car. I'm really starting to get used to not being tethered to my phone 24/7
I thought you had to be paired to your phone to use Apple Pay? This sounds pretty cool if I forget my wallet and phone (when Apple Pay comes to the UK).
I'm using the white sport band
From the reading other responses it seems it could be the band. Apple can address that. If it was the Watch itself, not a lot could be done. I'm about to head out for the "Super Sunday" set of EPL games and may have the chance to hit a few of my regular stores after. Maybe Best Buy will let me film a short video if their alarm system goes off.
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Funny you say that cause I walked out of Macy's and the alarm went off. It most likely would have been the other people though considered I walked in through the same doors twice without it going off.
i have had this when leaving a store with an empty backpack and my iPhone, no watch. I think its just radio interference triggering the NFC coils in the gates.
But what was in your pockets?
I forgot about this thread... since getting my own watch I quickly found it did NOT set off alarms in general. Wonder what the variable is that causes this...
My Psion Organiser II once set off the security alarm at our local library. About 1990 I think it would have been.
It was the bigger model with 16 kilobytes of on-board storage. So much RAM in fact that I hypothesized at the time that it may have 'sucked in' all the available electrons, with the resulting positive charged space forming a mini black hole, hence triggering the alarm.
It was the bigger model with 16 kilobytes of on-board storage. So much RAM in fact that I hypothesized at the time that it may have 'sucked in' all the available electrons, with the resulting positive charged space forming a mini black hole, hence triggering the alarm.
It could be some mis-calibrated scanners are picking up the charging circuit in the watch, which could generate a magnetic resonance profile similar to that emitted by the security tags designed for these systems.
Just speculation on my part.
Just speculation on my part.
I've gone through TSA security at several airports with my watch on, and haven't set the alarm off. Granted I'm TSA Pre, so I've gone through the old school scanners and not the new full body scanners.
Apple is intentionally doing this to stores refusing to accept ApplePay. Comply or listen to ringing bells.
