Although Google Glass has not officially been released to the public, this does not stop developers from adopting new and creative uses for the futuristic eyewear. Glass has already been put to use in businesses and even the medical field. Thanks to one crafty Glass owners, you may soon be able to pay for physical goods by simply scanning a product’s barcode using your Google Glass or Android SmartPhone. To up the ante even further, users who choose this method would be paying with BitCoins rather than their Credit or Debit card.
The GlassPay process, created by the California-based company, RedBottle Design seems very straightforward.
You kidnap your nearest friend who happens to be a Glass Explorer and take them to a retail store who supports this payment method.
You scan each device with Google Glass to either purchase the item or add it to your personal wishlist.
When you have made all of your selections, you move to a customer service desk for assistance in bagging your merchandise.
The process should be fairly painless (depending on how you restrain your friend from above). If you are not a Google Glass owner or if you do not have a friend to kidnap, you can simply use a companion application on an Android phone to accomplish the same outcome.
Self Checkout options are nothing new however many of these solutions require you to scan each item at a point of sale system that is often a bit of a mess to deal with. This solution would presumably skip the cash register all together.
As this solution uses BitCoins rather than traditional currency the fees that most banks charge for credit card processing is completely bypassed. This would theoretically allow retailers to offer slightly lower prices.
There is one fatal flaw in this method, Virtual Wallets have failed to gain a lot of traction over the years. Google Wallet and ISIS have both been seeing lower than expected use of their mobile payment solutions. Would GlassPay do anything to change this or would this just be another gimmick?