American Express and Jawbone combine contactless payments with fitness

Fitness product manufacturer Jawbone has announced that American Express cardholders will soon be able to buy goods and services through their fitness bands.

Jawbone are known for their fitness devices which allow the user to track their progress during and after a workout, by showing their calories burned, miles walked and other statistics related to their physical activity.

The announcement follows Apple Pay’s declaration that the Apple Watch will be featuring a heart rate sensor.

Jawbone are about to release a brand new fitness band – the UP3, but the American Express announcement does not mean that the new product will feature the payment mechanism.

When Jawbone eventually release a product incorporated with AmEx’s payment technology, customers will be able to pay for products from merchants who use near-field communication (NFC), which at the moment is something that needs developing in the United States. Only 10 per cent of retailers have NFC technology installed in their businesses.

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