L’Oréal cosmetics brand Shu Uemura has unveiled limited edition stickers embedded with an NFC chip that purchasers can place on their face and then scan with their NFC smartphone to create digital content... More
New form factors, value-added services, issuing business models and payment acceptance innovations such as softPOS solutions are the driving forces behind what’s next in the contactless card payments market, Bareisis explains in a presentation for Contactless World Congress. More
Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi has filed a patent with the China National Intellectual Property Administration for technology that would enable users of its wearable augmented reality glasses to initiate and authenticate contactless QR code payments. More
Apple users will be able to switch on smart devices such as e-bikes, speakers and other accessories from an iPhone or Apple Watch running the forthcoming iOS 16 update without needing to unlock their own device or take it out of their bag or pocket via third-party apps that use both ultra wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology... More
Fans of German football club 1 FC Köln have trialled a team scarf incorporating an NFC chip that can be used instead of a conventional ticket to gain access to the stadium and also enables users to access exclusive real-time digital content during a match... More
Nike and its digital fashion brand Rtfkt have launched a hoodie incorporating an NFC chip that enables purchasers to connect it to a digital version of the garment in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT) that can be ‘worn’ by digital avatars in Rtfkt’s Clone X avatar ecosystem... More
Customers shopping at Nisa grocery stores across the UK will soon be able to scan selected products with their smartphone in order to receive digital vouchers that entitle them to a discount on those products when they present their ‘voucher wallet’ at the checkout... More
Visitors to SK Group’s Green Forest Pavilion at this year’s CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas in the US were able to follow a “Net Zero journey” and access video, audio and augmented reality (AR) content about carbon reduction technologies and the environment... More
Rail passengers at Tokyo and Yokohama stations in Japan can now order, collect and pay for coffee made by a six-armed AI-powered robot barista — known as Ella — at a fully automated contactless coffee shop... More
US consumers purchasing premium cigars manufactured by the Ferio Tego Cigar Co will be able to authenticate their purchase, access videos and information about the product and make additional orders by tapping an NFC tag embedded in the cigar box with their NFC-enabled smartphone... More
Customers in Woolworths stores in Cape Town and Johannesburg can now browse, virtually test and order beauty products for home delivery by tapping in-store NFC tags with their mobile phone... More
Apple is preparing to introduce its own QR codes later this year, leaked files shared with former Techcrunch reporter Josh Constine suggest... More
Minecraft developer Mojang is to launch a range of NFC-enabled Minecraft figurines that work with its new Minecraft Earth augmented reality game to let players access a range of character-specific boosts and power-ups... More
Merchants can now use Apple Pay to let shoppers purchase items from directly within an augmented reality experience, using a new Custom Action feature Apple has rolled out for AR Quick Look... More
Continue to redefine your story with the new Storyteller Screen for Weave — Gaming Trend — “The traditional game master screen has been re-imagined with new technology to keep storytelling fresh… Scan the app with the NFC chip to load character sheets, launch new or old stories and invite new players to current sessions.”
A new store in the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America has opened as a testbed for the latest retail technologies — and products on sale have been equipped with NFC tags... More
Snapchat is using AR to transform an empty shop into a pop-up Lego Wear Store — Evening Standard — “When you enter the store, you need to scan a Snapcode on the photo-sharing app, which uses augmented reality (AR) technology to showcase the clothes and in-store displays… Prospective buyers can purchase clothing through the integrated ‘shop now’ feature on Snapchat. This takes them through to the Lego Wear e-commerce site where they can select their preferred item and have it delivered to their home.”
Walmart-owned Sam’s Club is opening a new store in Dallas, Texas that will double as both a technology lab and a live retail store, enabling both customers and staff to test and make use of the latest developments in retail and payments technology... More
PayPal has an idea for augmented reality payment glasses — here’s how it could work — CNBC — “The software as imagined could overlay product information and purchasing options onto physical objects, according to the patent — originally filed in 2016 but extended earlier this week. A shopper looking at an item on the storefront shelves would see a hovering, virtual description including price, payment options and return policy. The glasses could also walk shoppers through the steps to purchase items online, with vendor and purchaser information already stored in the system.”
Mastercard eyes the future of retail with Augmented Reality shopping experience — Mastercard — “This new AR experience from Mastercard will not only let shoppers view digital representations of products before they commit to a purchase, but also learn more about what they are buying, see additional options not available in the physical location and get instant recommendations or other information relevant to their unique experience. When done shopping, users can pay for items using Masterpass, which will first authenticate the user’s iris.”