Fitbit Ionic Launch
AUCKLAND, 4 October, 2017 – Visa congratulates Fitbit on today’s launch of Fitbit Ionic in New Zealand and looks forward to activating the payment
features of the smartwatch so Kiwis have more options to pay on-the-go.
Visa will work with its banking partners to enable Fitbit Ionic for payments powered by Visa payWave and secured by Visa
Token Service, which provides a new layer of security for mobile payments.
“We’re excited to enable the Fitbit Ionic for Visa payments, meaning Kiwis will soon be able to make payments with
Fitbit Pay. The flexibility and convenience provided by wearable devices, such as the Fitbit Ionic, is one example of
how connected devices will fundamentally change the way New Zealanders shop and pay. Using Visa’s innovations, such as
tokenisation, it’s now possible to enable any device for payments. Together with our partners, we’re working to
challenge today’s understanding of convenience, with the aim of creating totally seamless secure commerce experiences,”
says Head of Product for Visa in New Zealand & South Pacific, Riaz Nasrabadi.
“One of the most exciting elements about this device is the way it incorporates biometrics to secure the payments
functionality. Users that add a card to Fitbit Ionic will be required to enter a 4-digit passcode which then remains
activated for up to 24 hours, or anytime the device is removed from their wrist. This is enabled by the device
constantly monitoring for a pulse to ensure that it remains on a single person’s wrist. Essentially, the payments
capability of the device is being enabled, in part, by its owner’s pulse – an excellent example of truly connected
payments,” he says.
“New Zealanders have a growing appetite for payments innovation, with a recent YouGov survey revealing that nearly two
thirds (65%) of Kiwis say they’re likely to try out new ways of paying for goods and services, including connected
devices.1 The same survey revealed that 90 percent of people surveyed said they would use their mobile for every day
purchases, with a further 25% saying they were likely to use their wearable device, such as a smart watch or fitness
tracker. The way I see it, payments are quickly becoming an expectation of smart device owners – whether you’re buying a
phone, watch, fitness tracker, or other such device, New Zealanders expect it to be able to be used for payments, both
online and in-store,” says Nasrabadi.
1 Visa/YouGov Survey May 2017
ENDS