The new service is available through WeChat Pay for metro passengers. From May 21, users who have registered for the palm payment service can pay for the Daxing Airport line by waving their hand over a scanner located at metro station turnstiles. Once the palm print is recognized, money will be automatically deducted from the user's WeChat account.
To register, users must go to a designated machine at the station. Turnstiles that support “palm” payments are marked with a blue circle. Tencent said the technology, which recognizes both surface palm prints and hand veins, was developed by the company’s YouTu lab.
Tencent's goal is to bring efficiency and convenience to users. It is suitable for the elderly and accessible to people with disabilities. The company will gradually deploy this technology to other facilities such as offices, retail stores, and restaurants.
The new payment method has been hotly discussed on Chinese social media. Many netizens are increasingly cautious about their privacy due to concerns about biometric data theft. In addition, facial payment has been around for a few years. However, some people find it more convenient than current methods, especially when their phone runs out of battery.
The service is currently only available to verified Chinese users. In addition to Tencent, other giants such as Alibaba are also working on similar payment technology for Alipay. WeChat Pay and Alipay together account for more than 90% of the mobile payment market in mainland China.
In the US, Amazon launched Amazon One hand-scanning technology in traditional stores in 2020, then expanded to many locations in the Whole Foods supermarket chain.
(According to SCMP)
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