Though it has taken a while, touch payments have finally made their way to Japan. Whether or not it was prompted by the touch-free lifestyle brought on by COVID-19, we’re glad to finally see it here.
Now, Japan has gone one step further, and is once again living up to the title of "Tech King" by bringing us a "smart ring" for Visa touch payment. (Ok, fine, the ring was actually created and drafted in the UK, but isn’t it cool how Japan is so quickly implementing it?)
EVERING, as it’s been named, is now available for pre-order. Advanced reservation can be made on the official website for delivery of the product, before general sales commence.
EVERING is a Visa smart ring that supports touch payment.
Nowadays a lot of stores support touch payment, and are being equipped with contactless payment machinery. Unlike conventional contactless devices, with EVERING there is no need to take out a device, and/or wallet, ultimately leading to a more speedy and smooth payment experience.
In the future, the manufacturers behind EVERING plan to make the gadget available for everyday use, such as for use in public transportation, or with the ability to use it as a key or ticket.
Three thousand individual rings are available for advance reservation for the price of 18,000 yen (plus tax). These pre-order rings are expected to be shipped sometime this summer.
The pre-order sales will end as soon as all 3,000 rings have been reserved. Following that the date and time of general sales will be decided and announced on the official website.
Product features
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EVERING is compatible with Visa’s touch payment function that guarantees international standard levels of security. Additionally, when not in use, or in the unlikely event of being lost, the Visa touch payment function can be stopped through the smartphone app, thereby decreasing the risk of the contactless payment ring being used by somebody else.
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EVERING does not require charging as it uses an IC chip which is mounted inside the ring. Responding to radio waves emitted by the card reader, the need for charging EVERING is eliminated.
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EVERING is made from zirconia ceramic, a hypoallergenic metal which is also used in dentures, and has been praised for its comfort rating, high durability and waterproof function. With its waterproofing ability, you can wash your hands and go about daily life without removing the ring.
- The ring can be used at any time by registering your credit card and charging money to EVERING in advance via the app. A maximum of 30,000 yen can be uploaded to the ring at any one time.
EVERING contactless payment ring
Price: 18,000 yen (plus tax)
Size: 17 available sizes
Color: Black
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- External Link
- https://grapee.jp/en/
6 Comments
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Aly Rustom
Ok a visa smart ring but 1. Most foreigners can't get a credit card and 2. most elderly Japanese who are a significant portion of the population don't use it so Im not impressed
Mickelicious
PR photo should knuckle down on its visual messaging.
snowymountainhell
Agreed @Mickelicious 10:57am. Being sold at “contactless” yet...
...infers this ‘tech’ may still be in the ‘knuckle-dragging’ stage of development?
cleo
A Visa smart ring, so it works only with Visa cards?
Well OK, but why bother with the expense of a one-trick ring (Which I'm sorry, doesn't look very fashionable or chic) when a smart watch can do a million and one other things (monitor health and exercise, provide email/messaging notifications, make phone calls, give weather forecasts, check stock prices, provide a calendar, calculator, map & GPS navi functions, play music and podcasts, record voice memos, act as a walkie-talkie, check train times, etc. Even tell the time) as well as make contactless payments using your choice of cards, for not that much more in terms of cost?
If you're prepared to fork out nearly 20,000 yen for a ring, wouldn't it be better to part with a bit more for a smart watch?
Mickelicious
It's daft. Whether it's a smart ring or a smart watch, we still need a smart phone, too. Not so... smart?
kurisupisu
18,000 yen ?
I’ll wait for the injectable chip( already developed) -it’ll be a lot cheaper!