UK consumers will soon be rewarded whenever they are physically active with Sweatcoin — a virtual currency that can be earned by exercising and then exchanged at select retailers via a mobile app set to launch next week... More
Fitness
NXP backs two new IoT development platforms
PARTNER NEWS: NXP has put its support behind two new reference platforms that will enable “innovation and rapid development” for smart wearables. The platforms target a range of internet of things (IoT) applications with open-source hardware and software, form-factor flexibility and expandable solutions for designers to adapt to changing market needs. More
NXP launches improved NFC connected tags and reader chips
PARTNER NEWS: NXP has unveiled two new NFC products — an improved “connected tag” range designed to add intelligent tap-and-go connectivity to just about any electronic device and the PN7462 family of single chip NFC reader solutions that combine a microprocessor with USB, contact and contactless interfaces... More
Axis Bank customers to get NFC wearables
India’s Axis Bank has partnered with fitness technology provider GOQii to develop a wearable device that will allow its customers to make contactless payments... More
China’s FiiSmart to develop smartwatch that supports Alipay
Shenzhen-based wearable device maker FiiSmart has launched a campaign on ecommerce giant Alibaba’s Taobao Crowdfunding website for a smartwatch that will support Ant Financial’s mobile payment platform Alipay and allow its wearers to make payments by generating a QR-code that can then be scanned at the point-of-sale... More
uBirds seeks funding for strap that brings NFC to any watch
Warsaw-based start-up uBirds has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a leather strap that can be fitted onto any standard watch to add a range of smartwatch-like capabilities... More
Wearable payments to reach $501bn by 2020
Payments made using wearable devices such as smart watches, fitness trackers and wristbands will grow from US$3.1bn in 2015 to $501.1bn worldwide by 2020, research from market intelligence firm Tractica finds... More
Gemalto pilots contactless wristbands for transport in China
PARTNER NEWS: Digital security company Gemalto is supplying wristbands carrying an embedded Optelio Contactless Minitag and a fitness tracker across the transportation network in Wuhan — one of the most populous cities in central China — to enable commuters to ride on buses and the metro with a wave of their hand... More
TI opens NFC wearable design challenge
Semiconductor maker Texas Instruments is running an NFC wearable design challenge, inviting developers to use its RF430FRL15xH NFC sensor transponder to create wearable health and fitness applications... More
Lycos unveils wearables with NFC
Internet company Lycos has announced a line of NFC-equipped wearable devices including a ring ($59.99) and a wristband (US$124.99) that tracks the wearer’s physical activity, displays incoming calls and notifications and connects to a smartphone with a tap... More
Jawbone adds NFC payments to fitness trackers with AmEx
Wearable device maker Jawbone has unveiled a fitness tracking wristband that can be linked to the wearer’s American Express card account and used to make NFC payments... More
Jawbone to add NFC payments?
Wearable device maker Jawbone could be about to add NFC payment capabilities to its fitness trackers... More
NFC wristbands to help swimmers track performance
Swimmers will soon be able to use NFC wristbands to set up personal training regimes and measure their performance in the pool... More
Starbucks to accept Microsoft Band wearable payments
Starbucks is to begin accepting payments from customers wearing the new Microsoft Band smart bracelet... More
Transcript: Apple VP Kevin Lynch and CEO Tim Cook show off how Apple Watch can be used beyond payments
As well as using the device to make payments with the new Apple Pay mobile payment service, Apple Watch wearers will be able to use their smartwatch as a boarding pass and to unlock their hotel room doors, Apple’s VP of Technology Kevin Lynch explained during the unveiling of the new device on 9 September... More
Xiaomi unveils $13 smart band
Chinese mobile device maker Xiaomi has launched the Mi Band, a CNY79 (US$13) wristband that features sensors for health and fitness tracking and can be used to unlock the wearer’s Xiaomi smartphone via BLE... More
Alfa-Bank uses activity trackers to offer higher interest rates to customers who exercise
Russia’s Alfa-Bank has introduced a new savings account linked to an activity tracker, which rewards customers who exercise more with a higher interest rate... More
OMsignal launches biometric clothing that tracks the wearer’s health and fitness with BLE
A Canadian startup has introduced a range of smart sports shirts that monitor the wearer’s heart rate, breathing and movement and then use Bluetooth LE to send the collected data to their smartphone for real time analysis. More
Samsung unveils Galaxy S5 with NFC, fingerprint verification and PayPal payments
The Galaxy S5, Samsung’s new flagship smartphone, includes biometric security as well as NFC — and can be used to make payments at any merchant that accepts PayPal online or in store... More
Alcatel Onetouch launches Pop Fit wearable smartphone with NFC
A wearable Android smartphone that weighs just 78g and comes with an armband-style strap and a pair of JBL earphones has been unveiled at MWC 14 by Alcatel Onetouch. The metallic Idol 2, Idol 2S and Idol 2 Mini S with NFC have also been added to the phone maker’s range. More