PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mastercard unveiled an augmented reality shopping experience today that for the first time incorporates Masterpass and Identity Check Mobile with iris authentication for safe and seamless payments. Developed with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, and ODG (Osterhout Design Group), it delivers photorealistic augmented reality and provides consumers the ultimate customized, security-focused shopping experience.
Augmented reality has the potential to reshape the retail environment, making it more immersive and efficient. This new AR experience from Mastercard will not only let shoppers view digital representations of products before they commit to a purchase, but also learn more about what they are buying, see additional options not available in the physical location and get instant recommendations or other information relevant to their unique experience. When done shopping, users can pay for items using Masterpass, which will first authenticate the user’s iris using Qualcomm Technologies’ iris authentication. The shopper then selects a card from their Masterpass-enabled wallet and completes the purchase by selecting the Masterpass button on the screen. Items can be taken home from the store or shipped, depending on availability.
“At Mastercard, we are seeing major shifts in how commerce is conducted, as people lead increasingly connected, digital lifestyles,” said Sherri Haymond, executive vice president, Digital Partnerships, Mastercard. “As the physical and digital worlds blend together, we are focused on developing solutions that provide merchants with the ability to accept payments across all technology platforms possible—in-store, in-app, online, and in AR and VR—to help drive how people will experience shopping and payments in the future.”
Mastercard, ODG and Qualcomm Technologies developed this prototype technology as a proof of concept that may help retailers find new ways of enhancing the in-store shopping experience and generating incremental sales by sharing relevant content and information to the shopper while they are shopping. It leverages:
- Masterpass, the digital payment service from Mastercard, and Identity Check Mobile, which enables users making purchases to authenticate with physical traits including fingerprint, facial and voice recognition software;
- ODG’s expertise to lead the development of the AR shopping experience, as well as its award-winning extra-wide-field-of-view R-9 smartglasses with enhanced iris tracking cameras; and
- Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform running the Snapdragon XR SDK and iris authentication technology with liveliness detection for a superior authentication experience.
“ODG is delighted to work with Mastercard and Qualcomm Technologies, fellow leaders in their respective fields, to offer a look into the future of shopping and purchasing habits,” said Ralph Osterhout, Founder and CEO at ODG. “This solution showcases the transformative nature of augmented reality in the retail space and highlights the power and performance of ODG smartglasses and the unparalleled potential for headworn AR to change the way we see and experience the world.”
"Qualcomm Technologies’ iris authentication and extended reality technologies for Snapdragon 835 are designed to support a future generation of contextually aware commerce experiences using secure, augmented reality,” said Neeraj Bhatia, Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "We are delighted to work with Mastercard and SAKS Fifth Avenue to showcase new AR experiences on ODG’s sleek smart glassed based on our Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform. Our commitment to innovation has the potential to deliver more personalized in-store experiences in the future.”
The experience can be viewed as a demo in the Mastercard booth (#1705) at Money2020 in Las Vegas, October 23-25. It leverages the Saks Fifth Avenue brand, marks and likeness to showcase the shopping environment.
About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
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Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
