Amazon introduces new way to make people pay with their palm

Amazon on Tuesday introduced a contactless way for people to use their palm to make everyday activities like paying at a store, presenting a loyalty card, or entering a location like a stadium.

Called, Amazon One, the service uses custom-built algorithms and hardware to create a person’s unique palm signature.

“We’ll start in select Amazon Go stores, where Amazon One will be added to the store’s entry gate as a convenient choice for customers to use to enter the store to shop,” Dilip Kumar, Vice President Physical Retail & Technology at Amazon, wrote in a blog post.

He said that in most retail environments, Amazon One could become an alternate payment or loyalty card option with a device at the checkout counter next to a traditional point of sale system.

“Or, for entering a location like a stadium or badging into work, Amazon One could be part of an existing entry point to make accessing the location quicker and easier,” Kumar said.

Starting Tuesday, customers can use Amazon One as an entry option at two Amazon Go stores in Seattle, US.

“It takes less than a minute to sign up at these Amazon Go stores using an Amazon One device,” Kumar said.

“Once you’re enrolled, to use Amazon One to enter these Amazon Go stores, you’ll just hold your palm above the Amazon One device at entry for about a second or so, and be on your way.”

Amazon One is likely to be added as an option in additional Amazon stores in the coming months.

“And, we believe Amazon One has broad applicability beyond our retail stores, so we also plan to offer the service to third parties like retailers, stadiums, and office buildings so that more people can benefit from this ease and convenience in more places,” he said.