Amazon's palm-reading payment technology will soon be available in 65 Whole Foods stores in California
Amazon's palm-reading payment system will soon be accessible in many more Whole Foods stores. Amazon One is being introduced to over 65 Whole Foods stores in California, beginning with Malibu, Montana Avenue and Santa Monica locations in Los Angeles. In the "coming weeks," additional shops in Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Santa Cruz will open up.
Previously, only a few Whole Foods stores in Austin, Los Angeles, New York City, and Seattle accepted palm payments. In California, Amazon One is available at the company's Style boutique in Glendale and select Fresh & Go shops.
One is designed to make retail buying easier. You just have to hover your hand over a scanner to complete a purchase if you connect your palm and payment card with the service. While you still must go to a checkout terminal, you don't have to use Amazon's camera-based Just Walk Out technology, as you would while using it.
It's possible that third-party adoption may be more difficult. While Amazon has stated intentions to utilize One in concert halls and sports stadiums, there's been a growing outcry over concerns about palm data being misused or stolen. Amazon has claimed that it keeps information in secure, One-exclusive cloud storage, but politicians have questioned company leadership nonetheless due to its methods. There is a hesitancy to embrace biometric technology like this, and the Whole Foods increase isn't likely to help matters.