With the Apple Watch the most convenient way to use Apple Pay, Fitbit appears set to bring contactless payment tech to its fitness bands from next year.
After acquiring mobile payment company Coin earlier this month, Fitbit hinted to TNW that it would add NFC payment capabilities to one or more of its devices next year …
Although best-known for its low-ish tech fitness bands, the company does also offer the Blaze, a ‘fitness watch’ that would be a likely contender for the new functionality.
The company […] said that “the acquisition accelerates Fitbit’s ability to develop an active NFC payment solution that could be embedded into future Fitbit devices, broadening its smart capabilities.” […]
The company says it’s too late to integrate Coin’s tech into its current cache of products. However, there isn’t much to stop it from releasing such gadgets in 2017.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Fitbit has taken a lead from Apple: it was recently revealed that it delayed its launch in 2011 to add Bluetooth because of the launch of the iPhone 4s. The company may want to note, though, that attempting to compete with Apple Pay doesn’t always end well …
