Like most smart products these days, smart wallets seek to improve upon an outdated concept that has seen little or no innovation for the bulk of the century. Smart wallets provide a safer way to carry around our money and credit cards while also being designed to reflect our changing spending habits and transition away from paper bills and coins. With the market for this technology exploding, what smart wallet features should be essential for any prospective buyer?
Why Security And Safety Should Come First
When buying a smart wallet, having the confidence that our personal financial information is kept as secure as possible should be of paramount concern. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology has been used in embedded credit card microchips since 2005 and allows for contactless payment during checkouts. Unfortunately, some thieves have attempted to use scanning devices to gather credit card information from nearby unsuspecting customers. Smart wallets address this issue by using aluminum or carbon fiber materials which block signals emitting from cards stored in wallets. Also, if the worst-case scenario happens and an owner loses their smart wallet, the devices offer Bluetooth/GPS tracking that works in conjunction with smartphone apps to narrow down where the wallet may be. Anyone buying a smart wallet should ensure that their selection has these basic security features.
What Smart Wallet Features Are Essential
Smart wallets attempt to bridge the gap between the age of carrying large amounts of cash and coins and a new era where digital forms of payment are taking over. This new breed of wallet emphasizes a slim form factor. As such, their space for holding cash can be more limited, so this is definitely something to consider based on your cash spending habits. Some smart wallets like Ridge Minimalist Slim Wallet come complete with a proprietary money clip designed to fit securely with the rest of its design. If you also carry a lot of credit and bank cards, some smart wallets may only hold six while others can store as many as 12, so this also should be a factor in any buying decisions.
How Smart Wallet Appearances Matter
Most smart wallets use aluminum or carbon fiber in their interiors to block RFID signals, but not all have these modern materials evident on their outsides. The Sono Wallet opts for a more industrial look with a black aluminum finish. These military-grade materials are exceptionally light yet provide a more durable construction than traditional wallets. However, this modern look is clearly not going to be the first choice for some buyers and there are plenty of smart wallets on the market with classic leather finishes. Since many smart wallets offer a similar set of features, the choice often comes down to style and color. Smart wallets are not just for men, as there are many intelligent and trendy-looking clutches and wallets for women as well.
What Smart Wallet Features Can Make A Difference
Many smart wallet features are matters of convenience rather than safety or security. Wireless charging and power-sharing between devices have become increasingly popular in recent years. Smart wallet battery lives can last anywhere from several days to even months or years depending on their capabilities. Naturally, smart wallets make good candidates for power sources if your phone is low on battery and some wallets can even function as wireless chargers themselves. Other especially handy wallets like the Sono Wallet are known as pop-up wallets and allow credit cards to be ejected by a mechanism for easy access.
Why You Should Pay The Price To Be Smart
Compared to other smart devices, like watches and phones, smart wallets are relatively affordable which no doubt makes them popular gift ideas. Depending on how extensive a set of smart wallet features a model offers, prices can range as much as $15 to over $100. As always, beware of cheap knockoffs and counterfeit versions of the most premium smart wallets.
The Sono Team,
