Jawbone launches NFC-enabled fitness band

American Express and fitness technology company Jawbone is launching the UP4 fitness band, the first fitness wearable with built in payment technology.

PaymentEye reported yesterday that Jawbone had announced a partnership with American Express but had yet to incorporate AmEx’s near field communication (NFC) technology into their latest UP3 fitness band.

American Express cardholders will now be able to connect their cards to the UP4 through Jawbone’s fitness app Up. But the app cannot be used to view the wearer’s transaction history as American Express said it would not share sensitive customer data. The mobile payments solution will be using a tokenisation system for security purposes.

‘‘We’re delighted to partner with American Express to launch UP4, our most advanced and stylish tracker that’s small enough to wear 24/7. They provided the innovative and forward-thinking approach needed to create this new experience, combined with a sophisticated and robust payment system, and a wide range of supported merchants,’’ said Travis Bogard, vice president of product management and strategy at Jawbone.

The NFC technology is currently available for AmEx cardholders only.

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