This technology is very promising for counter-terrorism. FBI can say: "I'll unlock with Google."
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Google Testing 'Hands Free' Payment System on Android and iOS
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Square had a version of this a while back (not sure if it still doing it). I used it until Apple Pay came out. It was convenient but I was always concerned about the security of it. Especially becasue the problem was that once I was close to an establishment that supported it, my face came up on the cash register - so walking by and not going in would already trigger the system.
Nothing ever happened and it was both convenient and cool, but I was actually happy to switch to Apple Pay. Will not go back to this on Square or Google or anything else.
Nothing ever happened and it was both convenient and cool, but I was actually happy to switch to Apple Pay. Will not go back to this on Square or Google or anything else.
Idk it's just as secure as using your cc normally. You pay w a cc and you have to show photo ID for the transaction to be approved by the cashier. This is the same and more secure than that because you are not taking out any cc and your realphoto id. I guess the service could ask you to input a pin for purchases more than $x amount to make it even more secure.
Of course the fingerprint on an iPhone will be more secure but that doesn't mean it's more comfortable/fast. I barely use mine because I forget which stores use it and I take out my cc as fast as my iphone.
If someone steals your phone they won't be able to see the picture so they would have to take your picture before they steal it and the probability that he/she looks like you is minimal.
In the end I would like this Google feature on all phones.
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Since this is prob using nfc it's not going to pop up until you are next to a register though
For REAL!!!
I too will be impressed if a company can take a system as ridiculously insecure as "lemmee see a selfie & your initials" and fix it!
Lol, would you be willing to let people have access to your safe deposit box at your bank if they knew your initials & looked passably similar to you??
And it shares the same glaring insecurity hole as an unverifiable signature: a busy, overworked cashier who just hits 'yes' for both answers without even looking properly.
It's only a matter of time until they stop having cashiers at all. I wish self checkout was available at more places more often. It makes no sense that Walmart sometimes closes the self checkout.
From the article --
I do not see NFC in there which is why it reminded me of Square, which also did not use NFC.
I suspect the intent of this was to couple it with facial recognition technology, and that Google is jumping the gun a bit. Note that the article confirms facial recognition will be used at a few locations.
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How do they prove it was employee fraud vs. carelessness or an honest mistake? Getting this right is a lot to ask from a $9/hour employee. Maybe this will force big box stores to increase salaries and move to fully-time trained employees, in order to get humans competent to make this verification reliably.
No, probably not. More likely this will lead to firing of cashiers and replacement with robots. With the inevitable subsequent discussion on these forums about how lazy and stupid the fired employees are.
You're absolutely correct.
In time cashiers are going to be replaced by automated self check out. With just one cashier monitoring activity. Currently the self check out terminals are different enough from store to store that they aren't as user friendly as the new format of Google's Terminals.
Now that they're testing the equipped Android phones next they'll participate with terminals to complete the automated self check out system.
It's exciting to see how innovative Google is.
How far the device before the system would pick it up. People behind you are they not showing on the system when you check out? What if the cashiers accidentally picked the wrong person? I think it's really cool if implemented right and the error margin is almost impossible. How about self checkout since this is becoming common nowadays. I don't want the person in front of me picking my phone as a payment and make an excuse that it's an accident if got caught. I think NFC was the choice for a reason that your device is close enough to make a payment, but not handing out to the cashier to sacrifice security.
Now, these comments are so predictable that they could be replaced by a robot. It would only require 1990s level technology. Just a table of forum member names, and a list of dullard responses, with one item from the second list selected randomly.
You could be replaced, Bubba! Up your game, or you may be automated off the forum!
What's the secure part if your wallet with credit cards gets stolen? It's no different a situation, and possibly even a better situation, since at least there's a chance a cashier will notice a photo discrepancy and ask for other id.
Both of you totally miss the point. It's no less authenticated, and can be more authenticated when buying high dollar items (because the cashier is far more likely to check the photo), than the current US method of using a credit card with NO id verification at all.
This whole "security" thing is blown out of proportion anyway. In the US, we're protected from liability as long as we report a stolen card within a few days. Convenience is much more on the minds of most people.
TL;DR - it's no different than using a credit card the way we do now, except that it's hands free and the cashier also sees the registered photo for that card.
My response was in direct relation to the hypothetical posed by studioman. Fraud at Walmart was basis. How do you prove it? It starts and ends with the question: Is the person in front of the cashier the same person on the screen? If no, then the transaction process should cease. If it continues, you're looking at fraud; intentional or not. Plus, it's all going to be recorded. We'll have to disagree on "the ask" being a lot for a $9 employee. Their wage is immaterial to their ability to recognize a person in front of them vs a picture on a screen. I'm not sure what training you could give employees that would factor into picture/person recognition.
Clearly you didn't read the article, because none of that is required.
Credit cards have been very insecure., and slightly inconvenient Why would I want an entirely new technology that addressed the minor issue but ignored the larger one?
If you already have an NFC payment system and like using your hands, then you certainly have no reason to use it.
It's others with only Bluetooth and/or a desire for hands free purchases, who will be the users.
Look, this is no different than using a contactless card instead of sticking it in a terminal. Both are old style methods that are simply made more convenient. Except with the photo, this contactless method at least has a chance of more security than a regular contactless card.
Google says Hands Free is secure because none of your credit card information is ever shared with the retailer and all your payment details are stored securely and only shared with the payment processor. Hands Free also only works if your phone is within the vicinity of the register, so no need to worry about someone who looks like you racking up charges under your name.
goo.gl/fkVJi6