The new accessory will bring NFC payment functionalities to the smartwatch, using the power of the Pebbles smart accessory port, giving Pebble Time the same mobile wallet opportunities allowed to Apple Watch customers thanks to Apple Pay.
The strap runs on its own battery, so with a small USB connector on one end, users will be able to charge the Pagaré smartstrap and the Pebble Time simultaneously.
Fit Pay said that its new smartstrap will be able to be used at over 9 million point of sale terminals worldwide, including places like GameStop, Panera Bread, and Whole Foods. Similar to the Apple Watch, when the Pagaré is removed from a users wrist it locks access to any of the payment features of the band. A four-digit passcode reactivates those features when the Pebble Time is reattached.
Notably, once the Pagaré app is installed on a users phone and credit cards are scanned in, the new accessory is a completely phone-free solution. Users will be able to pay at compatible NFC terminals using Pagaré without having their smartphone nearby. The company is looking to the future, as well, with plans to introduce transit and entertainment ticket options into the Pagaré suite of tools if the Kickstarter gets funded.
Every day we send out a free e-mail with the most important headlines of the last 24 hours.
Subscribe now