You can join Amazon One with the new iOS and Android app. Just sign in, snap a pic of your palm, link a payment method and upload an ID. Now your hand is a wallet. It works at Whole Foods, some Panera locations and over 150 spots nationwide.
Amazon wants you to scan your palm to pay - Would you do it?
Have you set up Apple Pay or Google Pay on your phone? It’s a fast and easy way to make purchases without having to touch a keypad or reach for your wallet. And once you set it up, you can use it online and in your apps. Tap or click here to use your phone to pay for everything.
Amazon introduced its contactless payment method in 2020 and rolled it out nationwide starting last year. Amazon One doesn’t require you to pull out your phone, but it does need your palmprint.
If this doesn’t raise alarm bells for you, it should. Read on for the implications of this technology as Amazon expands its retail empire.
The big rollout
Amazon One first appeared in Amazon Go stores before expanding to Whole Foods and other retail locations. Amazon is now adding its palm-recognition payment system to more than 65 Whole Foods stores across California. The tech is already available in select Whole Foods stores in Texas, Washington, California and New York.
The concept is simple: You make purchases by scanning your palm over a payment device at Amazon’s in-store kiosks. You don’t need to touch the scanner at all. Just sign up in person at an Amazon One device using a credit card. Then you scan one or both of your palms and enter your mobile phone number.
Sounds easy enough, but how does Amazon know it’s you making the purchases? That data must be stored somewhere.
Your data is stored in the cloud, and Amazon says, “it is only used to generate and update your unique palm signature, confirm whether you are an enrolled Amazon One customer, and confirm your identity.” Your palm data is stored separately from everyone else’s.
Security measures include encryption, data isolation and dedicated secure zones with restricted access controls. Last year, Amazon was eager to get the initiative off the ground, offering $10 in promotional credit for those who signed up.
Is the convenience worth it?
Amazon tracks you based on your purchases and what you say to Alexa. Do you use Amazon Music and watch TV shows on Prime Video? That’s also stored and tracked.
Do you really want Amazon to have your biometrics as well?
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Amazon will pay you $10 to scan your palm - Would you do it?
Contactless payment is more popular than ever, thanks in part to the pandemic. People are more hesitant to handle payment machines or hand over their own credit cards. Thankfully, you can pay just by waving your phone over the payment terminal. Tap or click here to set up mobile payments.
Amazon has a new way to pay with just a wave of your hand
We’re still in the midst of a pandemic, which means it’s important to take precautions against catching or spreading COVID-19. We’ve all made helpful changes — things like washing our hands regularly, disinfecting our homes and workplaces, or wearing masks.