Barclay’s and Lyle and Scott unveil a £150 contactless cuff jacket
As banks roll out contactless cards and adopt NFC tech, Barclay’s latest venture into payment apparel makes one thing clear; the big players are unsure where - and with what – consumers should be swiping their transactions.
In an out-of-the-blue partnership with Scottish fashion brand Lyle & Scott, Barclay’s has adapted its bPay NFC tech for the wearable market, this time in the cuff of a £150 jacket.
The ‘Contactless Jacket’ carries a Contactless bPay chip which is inserted into its cuff which can be linked to UK Visa, MasterCard debit or credit cards.
One limitation is that the chip only has a two year life, meaning that after such a period the smart-jacket will become a standard lo-fi affair if the hardware is not replaced.
Alternatively, you could add a bPay sticker to an existing piece of clothing or make the payments with the wristbands or fobs on offer from the company if you want to save £150.