Why I Will Never Ever Use Apple Wallet (Probably)

I should preface this by saying that few people would describe me as a risk-taker. Since the day I was born, I've had a cost analysis tape running through my brain, reminding me of potential costs. For example, when I was a teenager and my half-drunk friends wanted to climb into a car with a moron at the wheel, I immediately recognized how much it could cost us all. Today, when a slick salesperson tries to talk me into buying more than I need, my mind automatically reminds me of the regret I will likely feel a few months down the road.

I used the Apple Wallet on my iPhone for a few months, and I tried very hard to convince myself that leaving my credit cards at home was great. The more I read about it, the more I realized that there is a potential cost -- no matter how unlikely. I stopped using the Apple Wallet due to that cost analysis tape.

In reality, I can't say that I'll never use it again. However, I have no interest in starting over with these three issues staring me in the face.

1. I have to bring an alternate form of payment anyway

I dedicate as little time to shopping as possible. The only shopping I truly enjoy is at farmer's markets, art fairs, and other settings where small businesses can display their wares. I can't always count on the person operating a booth to accept credit cards.

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I realize that the Apple Wallet can work with any contactless payment system, but a contactless payment system is not always available. I found that I was still carrying cash when I shopped, defeating the purpose of switching to the Wallet.

2. I'm really bad about disconnecting from public wifi

I cannot begin to tell you how many times my sons have reminded me to disconnect my iPhone from public wifi. It's just so stinkin' easy to walk into a store or coffee shop and forget that my iPhone automatically searches for nearby wifi connections.

And here's why my habit matters: Hackers and cybercriminals adore public networks because they're relatively easy to manipulate. Say I'm grocery shopping and pull out my phone to pay. I likely won't even notice that my device automatically connected me to the store's public network, yet for the time I'm on that public network, my phone is vulnerable.

The good news is that it's easy to resolve the issue. All I need to do is go to Settings > wifi > Ask to Join Networks, then click Off. That would prevent my phone from automatically connecting.

However, I sometimes need to be on a specific public network. For example, to use Cartwheel at my local Target, I must log into its network first. And I cannot access anything on my phone inside our local Kohl's store without logging into its network.

3. Hackers are a clever bunch

Have you ever wondered what kinds of amazing things hackers could do with their lives if they focused their energy on something other than ripping people off? A study conducted by computer experts from the University of Birmingham and the University of Surrey was presented at the 2022 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy.

According to their research, there's a vulnerability when Visa cards are set up in "Express Transit mode" in an Apple Wallet. When that's the case, hackers can bypass the phone's lock screen and perform contactless payments. The study found that the weakness only applies when Visa is used. But let's face it, I'm probably going to want to pay with my Visa card from time to time -- particularly because I depend on the rewards points.

The paper describes how hackers gain access and how researchers figured it out. While it's all quite fascinating, it's enough to make me wary.

I do not doubt that Apple (and others) will continue to make upgrades that protect the user, and at some point, I may even give the Apple Wallet another go. Until then, I'll carefully guard my credit cards and cash.