Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Noise, India’s premier wristwatch brand, and Mastercard, a worldwide payments technology business, to launch A New Way to Pay. The institutions have collaborated to create the Bank’s Airtel Payments Bank Smart Watch, which aims to revolutionise contactless payments by redefining and making them more accessible to a wider user base. The project, which brings the power of Tap and Pay to every wrist, will empower consumers to harness the full potential of smart wearables and democratise convenient financial solutions, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve and reap the benefits of the future of payments.
These smartwatches, built by Noise and powered by Airtel Payments Bank, will improve Tap and Pay capabilities and the user experience by introducing the convenience of contactless payments via smart wearables. The smartwatch would allow Airtel Payments Bank clients to accomplish more with their wearable, making it a one-stop solution for their daily living requirements. The new smartwatch is now available for purchase for INR 2,999.
Customers with an Airtel Payments Bank savings account can purchase this smartwatch using the Airtel Thanks App. Customers new to the bank can order the smartwatch immediately by creating an account digitally through the Airtel Thanks App. They can activate the watch in less than a minute by linking it to their savings bank account through the Thanks App. Once linked, users can start making payments by simply tapping the watch on Point of Sale (POS) machines equipped with the Tap N Pay feature. The Airtel Payments Bank Smart Watch allows customers to make daily payments ranging from INR 1 to INR 25,000.
Noise, India’s premier smartwatch brand, designed and precisely developed the smartwatch, which boasts a perfect collaboration of cutting-edge technology and capabilities that promote a convenient living. The smartwatch, which has various health and productivity features and industry-leading innovation, is built with an appealing 1.85-inch square dial to enhance the user experience even more by allowing contactless payments directly from the wearable.
The smart watch’s NFC chip, enabled by the Mastercard network, will allow customers to do even more with their wearable, making it a one-stop solution for all their daily demands. The NFC chip-enabled smartwatches are intended to easily facilitate contactless payments at retail outlets, POS terminals, and other touchpoints, making financial transactions more inclusive and accessible for everyone.
Speaking on the launch, Ganesh Ananthanarayanan, COO, Airtel Payments Bank said, “Urban digital customers now have a seamless solution for on-the-go digital payments through our partnership with Noise and Mastercard. The Airtel Payments Bank Smart Watch revolutionizes how customers engage in contactless payments, offering unparalleled convenience. With this innovation, customers can effortlessly make transactions without the hassle of carrying extra cards or using their phones for small payments. Our collaboration with Noise reflects our commitment to addressing the evolving needs of urban digital consumers. By integrating contactless payment capabilities into wearable technology, we empower customers with greater freedom and flexibility in their daily transactions. This smart watch is the first wearable device that the bank has launched. The Bank will be coming up with more options and innovative payment solutions to enhance the digital banking experience, ensuring convenience and security for our valued customers.”
Speaking on the partnership and the innovation in the Smart Watch, Amit Khatri, Co-founder, Noise said, “At Noise, innovation is our driving force, guiding us to constantly meet evolving consumer needs. We are thrilled to partner with Airtel Payments Bank. It marks a significant stride in redefining the smart wearable experience, exemplifying our potential to disrupt and bring forth yet another industry-forward innovation: Tap and Pay functionality in smart watches. Through the Tap and Pay functionality powered by NFC chips on the Mastercard network, we aim to simplify the payment process and enhance convenience by unlocking a new way for users to interact with their devices. From conceptualization to bringing the idea to life, the Airtel Payments Bank Smart Watch, born from this partnership, reflects on our commitment to delivering meaningful innovation that ensures that every interaction with our product upgrades and enriches their lives.”
Highlighting the significance of this collaboration, Gautam Aggarwal, Division President, South Asia at Mastercard, said, “Today’s aspirational consumers are always on the lookout for unique multifaceted solutions that are quick, easy, efficient, and convenient. Contactless technology is a digital catalyst for a new set of consumer experiences. Mastercard has been partnering with the world’s leading global brands in the wearable segment to bring contactless payments to life. The company is delighted to collaborate with Airtel Payments Bank and Noise to jointly power the launch of this innovative smart watch, which will act as a comprehensive lifestyle solution. Backed by Mastercard’s promise of safe and secure transactions, it will provide users with an enhanced and secure payment experience.”
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While assisting users in unlocking contactless payment functionality on the Smart Watch, which features Bluetooth calling and has a battery life of up to 10 days. In addition, the Smart Watch supports 130 distinct sports modes and has access to 150 cloud-based watch faces. It is water-resistant to IP68 standards. The watch has a 4.69″ cm TFT LCD with 550 nits of brightness and comes in both black and blue colours. It also has a Stress Monitor tool, allowing users to track and control their stress levels efficiently. Furthermore, the Smart Watch includes SpO2 Monitoring, which allows users to monitor their blood oxygen saturation levels for improved health insights and tracking. It comes in three colour options: black, grey, and blue.
The smartwatch is just the beginning of Airtel Payments Bank and Noise’s long-term engagement, as the brands are collaborating to develop the next wave of wearable innovations, enabling India with Smart Payment Solutions.
