Paypal trials app that lets you pay with your face

By Carly Page

ONLINE PAYMENTS SERVICE Paypal launched an app in the UK today that lets users pay using their faces.

Paypal has started trialing a new app in 12 stores in the Richmond area of London that lets shoppers check into places to pay for goods, once they are recognized by their faces.

A customer checks in by clicking on the retailer and sliding a pin down into the app, and their face will then appear on the shop's payment system, with the cashier clicking on the image to charge for goods. The customer gets an alert on their phone to let them know how much they've paid, as well as Paypal's usual email receipt.

Retailers onboard with the service at present include Cook & Garcia, The Farmery, Revolution and Coffee and Pretzel. Compatible shops will be highlighted within the app.

Rob Harper, head of retail services at Paypal said, "PayPal first brought 'pay by mobile' to the UK high street two years ago. Through our Richmond initiative, we're pleased to help local businesses of all sizes offer a new more personal experience, while never having to turn away customers who don't have enough cash on them to pay. Now locals in Richmond can leave their wallet or purse at home and be the first in the country to use their profile picture to pay.

"This is another step on the journey towards a wallet-less high street, where customers will be able to leave their wallet or purse at home and pay using their phone or tablet. We predict that by 2016 this will become a reality," Harper added.

Paypal's app is available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices, but there's no word on a Blackberry app yet. µ