Recently, Amazon released an app that eliminates the need for customers to visit an in-store kiosk in order to register for its palm recognition service. To create an account, the Amazon One app takes a picture of a user’s palm print using the camera of a smartphone. After registering, you can pay for items with just your palm, removing the inconvenience of carrying cash, a bulky plastic card, or a smartphone.
The technology analyzes the vein structure of a hand using generative AI, transforming the data into a “unique numerical, vector representation” that retail scanning robots can recognize. To get started, you’ll need to provide a photo of your ID for age verification and add a payment method within the app.
The app launches today for iOS and Android. Previously, you’d have to go to a physical location to sign up for Amazon One. Beyond payments, the tech is also used as an age verification tool and as a way to enter concerts and sporting events without having to bring along a ticket.
Once you hand over your palm-print to the completely benevolent Amazon corporation, you’ll have unfettered access to each and every Whole Foods grocery store throughout the country. Amazon, after all, owns Whole Foods. Amazon One payments are also accepted at some Panera Bread locations, in addition to certain airports, stadiums and convenience stores.
There are obvious privacy concerns here, as passwords can change but palms cannot. Amazon says that all uploaded palm images are “encrypted and sent to a secure Amazon One domain” in the Amazon Web Service cloud. The company also says the app “includes additional layers of spoof detection,” noting that it’s not possible to save or download palm images to the phone itself.
