Alipay is looking for ways to increase the popularity of its facial recognition payment system among its female users. The company has come up with an innovative idea which will be incorporated into their payment system. Alipay reportedly is launching a new beauty filter for their payment system to attract more female users.
A beauty filter will automatically be applied when it is used to make a payment, and the facial features will be slightly enhanced in the machine. According to the company’s official Weibo account, many of its female customers are hesitant in using their “Smile to Pay” system because they think that their facial features are not impressive on the screens. So, as to make the female users more comfortable with their “Smile to Pay” Alipay will be launching the new feature. The new feature will be launched within next week.
According to a running poll on Sina Tech’s Weibo page, more than 60% of voters think that they appear less attractive on facial recognition payment machine screens while less than 10% of the people think that they look exactly the same as in photos. However, there is also 27% of users who think that payment method is more important than how they look on some screen.
The responses to Alipay’s new feature have been massive. People have come forward with their own appearance issues and fears. One user whose handle name is @Daydreamer_Vince commented, “First, I’m worried that I look ugly on-screen without the 45-degree selfie angle. Second, the machine probably wouldn’t recognize me when I have makeup on and that would be very embarrassing.”
Many Alipay users have complained about how their faces appear on the machine.
The front-facing camera distorts your face. When you’re paying at checkout with a line of people lined up behind you who can see your ugly face… I can’t accept that – Weibo user
Alipay introduced the “Smile to Pay” facial recognition system in September 2017, and now more than 300 cities across China accept this feature as a method of payment. Alipay now has around 900 million users globally.
