Google closes the program testing contactless payment service Hands Free. Recall, his testing began in March 2016. The service was positioned as “a real contactless”, as to pay in the store with it, don’t even need to get a smartphone from his pocket, leaving free both hands of the user.
Instead, the user creates a special profile with a photo in the app Hands Free, which is available for iOS and Android. If it enters the shop with Hands Free support service uses location data and communicates via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on the POS terminal of the establishment. When the user is ready to pay, it is enough to say the code phrase “I’ll pay with Google” (pay via Google) and the cashier confirms the payment using the user’s initials and a photo from the Hands-Free profile, which are displayed in his office. In addition, Google uses visual recognition using cameras in the store to confirm the identity based on the pictures from the profile.
Limited public testing took place in the Bay area of San Francisco in a few selected establishments, including McDonald’s and pizza Papa John’s. The project will run until 8 February 2017, and after that program participants will not be able to use Hands Free for payment.
According to the developers, based on the received positive feedback, they decided to focus on the introduction of technology to a wider audience. It is unclear whether the technology used in Android Pay or will result to any other project.