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Garmin fitness watches can now pay for things

Garmin Pay competes with on-wrist payments platforms like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay and Fitbit Pay, but it only works on one watch so far.

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Scott Stein Editor at Large
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials
  • Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
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Scott Stein
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Sooner or later, every device might be capable of making payments. Garmin Pay, announced earlier this year as a competitor to Fitbit's new mobile Fitbit Pay platform and other wearable payment services such as Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay, is now live.

To use it, you'll need to have a Garmin Vivoactive 3 smartwatch. But you'll also need to have a compatible bank to add your credit card, and that list is pretty short so far.

The Vivoactive 3 is an ambitious fitness smartwatch that's looking to compete with the Apple Watch on features, much like Fitbit's Ionic. But also, much like Fitbit, bank compatibility looks to be a limited factor against more established wearable platforms like Samsung, Apple and Google.

Stay tuned for a hands-on test and review.