If you thought Apple Pay was convenient, you should check out the UP4. Whereas Apple’s mobile payments service required you to whip out your smartphone, Jawbone’s new UP4 smartband requires you to only wave your wrist over a payment terminal. That’s it, nothing more. One wave and whatever its is you’re purchasing will be paid for through your American Express account.
Most contactless payments happen with something you carry—a smartphone or a contactless credit card. But a swipeable credit card is something you carry, too, so wouldn’t something you wear be much more convenient? Apple Pay is supported on the Apple Watch, and starting this summer, Jawbone’s new UP4 wearable fitness tracker will support contactless payments from American Express. Just wave your wristband at a supported payment terminal, and you’re done. Besides NFC and Amex payments, the UP4 is just like the already-announced UP3, which is available for preorder and will begin to ship after April 20. Both bands are splash-resistant, long-lasting (Jawbone says you can go seven days between charges), and packed with sensors to get a more holistic look at your health, including a reading of your resting heart rate as soon as you wake up each morning. Jawbone also announced an UP2 band to replace its popular UP24—it does everything the UP24 does, only UP2 is slimmer and lighter, and available now for $100.
