Pebble first announced support for Smartstraps nearly a year ago. It allows third-party developers to build new watch straps for the Pebble Time that offer functionality not found on the smartwatch itself. Pebble touted NFC payments as one such possible feature. That promise is one step closer now with the launch of the Pagaré smartstrap Kickstarter project. Adding NFC technology to the Pebble Time would allow it to make mobile payments much as the Apple Watch or Samsung Gear S2 offer.
The Pagaré smartstrap allows you to make contactless payments at millions of retail locations using a Pebble smartwatch. Pagaré is the simplest, fastest and most secure way to pay. Pebble makes the best smartwatches money can buy. Together, they make an unbeatable combination that will open up an entirely new world of possibilities. So leave the wallet and phone behind, and let Pagaré empower you to move freely throughout your day.
Pagaré is billed as “nearly indistinguishable” from a standard Pebble smartwatch strap. It will be offered in the same materials, colors and finish as current Pebble Time models, including the recent Pebble Time Round. The secure element that holds your tokenized card data fits below the watch case. The NFC antenna is built into the strap along with a USB connector hidden at the end of the strap.
A companion app will let you manage your cards by adding, enabling and disabling and deleting cards as needed. You will also be able to see your transaction history. Card numbers will be tokenized by the issuing card network. They will also be secured by a PIN that you’ll enter upon putting on your Pebble. When you remove it from your wrist, mobile payments will be disabled until you put it back on and enter your PIN once more. Best of all, once activated, your smartphone is not required at all.
FitPay, the company behind the Pagaré Smartstrap, estimates that you will be able to use your NFC-enabled Pebble Time at some 9 million merchants across the world.
With 29 days to go in its campaign, Pagaré has already raised more than US$56,000, boding well for it to meet its US$120,000 target with time to spare. Early bird backers can get a Pagaré smartstrap for US$49 (about CA$70). If you miss out on it, you can still get one for US$69 (about CA$100).
Source : Kickstarter