Why does Android Pay require a lockscreen when you don't have to unlock it to use it?

[Homelessdollars]

To use Android Pay you just have to wake the phone. Anyone who stole your phone could still use Android Pay. So what is the point of requiring a lockscreen? Is it possible, through some combination of 3rd party apps to disable the lockscreen requirement and still use Android Pay?

 

[hallux]

What device? Last I was aware I still needed to unlock my device in order for Android Pay to work.

 

[Rukbat]

Anyone who can unlock a locked phone wopuldn't waste time on stealing a few thousand from your Android Pay account, they'd be writing code for some company paying them big bucks. Even a PIN lock takes a long time to break (there are 10,000 possibilities). If it's a password lock, and you choose a good one (strong, but not having anything to do with you), your grandchildren will be dead of old age by the time someone cracks it.

 

[Homelessdollars]

What device? Last I was aware I still needed to unlock my device in order for Android Pay to work.

I have Android Pay on an S7 and S8, both running Android 7.0. Both phones have pattern locks but to use Android Pay I only have to wake the phone - I never have to enter my pattern. I can make multiple purchases of up to $100. I'm not actually worried about my phone being stolen.. I know the bank will likely cover the purchases if I report it stolen. I would rather use Android Pay with no lockscreen since the main reason to lock would be to prevent those purchases anyway.

 

[Homelessdollars]

Anyone who can unlock a locked phone wopuldn't waste time on stealing a few thousand from your Android Pay account, they'd be writing code for some company paying them big bucks. Even a PIN lock takes a long time to break (there are 10,000 possibilities). If it's a password lock, and you choose a good one (strong, but not having anything to do with you), your grandchildren will be dead of old age by the time someone cracks it.

I'm sorry I don't understand how this is relevant. I'm not concerned with anyone cracking my lockscreen. I wanted to use Android Pay without a lockscreen.

 

[Rukbat]

Most people are, and the app is designed for most people.

 

[Homelessdollars]

Again I think there is a misunderstanding here.. let me try to rephrase.

Android Pay - by default - does not ask me for my password/pin/pattern in order to make a purchase. All that is required to tap-and-pay is that I wake the phone by pressing the home key or power button. So why does Android Pay require a lockscreen when there are no security prompts to make a purchase?

I'm not asking about the general rationale for using a lockscreen or the levels of security that different lockscreens provide. I'm simply asking why does an app require the user to enable security measures that are then not used by that app? And since the security measure seems useless in this case, is there a way to disable it and still use Android Pay? Because that is effectively how it works on my phones already (Galaxy S7 and S8).

Most people are, and the app is designed for most people.

I'm sorry I don't understand how this is relevant. I'm not concerned with anyone cracking my lockscreen. I wanted to use Android Pay without a lockscreen.