Music lovers too wired to reach for their wallets at upcoming Laneway Festival events in five Australian cities will be able to make payments by simply tapping their sunglasses at the checkout.
The prototype shades being trialed by Visa can make contactless payments thanks to a secure payment chip, supplied by local startup Inamo, in the arm of the accessory.
The WaveShades utilise the same payments platform previously developed for the Inamo Curl, which was launched in December 2016 by local surfer dude Peter Colbert. The Curl is a multi-functional, waterproof wearable that can be attached to most watch bands and fitness bands.
At Laneways, Oberthur Technology is ensuring the integrity of payments for the contactless sunnies, while Heritage Bank acts as the Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI).
Frederique Covington, SVP of marketing for Asia Pacific at Visa says: "The financial services environment is evolving at an unprecedented pace, which is exemplified by consumers’ changing relationship with payments. The Visa WaveShades pilot is all about showing Australians that innovation in how we pay can make their lives simpler and everyday experiences seamless and rewarding.”