Touch ID caters to users’ desire to have secure yet easy access to financial information on apps. With credit card information, investments and trades available at the press of a fingertip, many brands and retailers are hoping it will drive mcommerce sales upwards.

“We are hyper-focused on enabling world-class customer experiences and a core pillar of that philosophy is implementing emerging technologies when they enhance the customer’s interaction with our digital properties,” said Sean Bartlett, director of digital experience, product, and omni-channel integration at Lowe’s. “When Touch ID was announced, we immediately recognized the utility it would provide in reducing friction when signing into the MyLowe’s section of our iPhone App and expediting the checkout process.”

Enticing brands
Top brands and retailers including Lowe’s, Amazon and E*Trade have integrated Touch ID into their iOS applications.

“The new iOS 8 features help customers more efficiently interact with us and then go back to their daily life,” said Kunal Vaed, vice president of E*Trade Financial. “Our goal is to make our experiences secure, seamless and hassle-free for traders and investors.

“We believe the home screen widget and Touch ID fingerprint technology deliver on this goal – and yes we believe smart new features like these are key to increasing customer engagement and satisfaction.”

Meanwhile, Amazon’s new iOS app allows users to log into their accounts via the Touch ID sensor. Customers are now more likely to complete impulse purchases, or simply purchase through mobile over desktop due to the convenience.

Experts expect to see many other brands and retailers adopt Touch ID on the heels of Amazon, Lowe’s and E*Trade.

Innovative technology
Apple developed Touch ID’s biometric authentication technology. Also available on mobile devices following iPhone 5, Touch ID enables users to place their fingertip on the iPhone’s home button, which activates a high-resolution scanner.

The image is converted into a formula, encrypted and then sent to a secure enclave. Once the fingerprint image is recognized, the phone or application receives a “yes” token and opens.

Touch ID was invented to circumvent lost passcodes and convenience users with a simple log-in system. It also allows for more than one fingerprint to be registered in case of a shared mobile device, and for sets of fingerprints to be deleted just as easily.

Marketers are finding Touch ID to be an optimal tool for driving mcommerce sales. Consumers are becoming increasingly more secure in using their phones for payment purposes, and brands are building on this mindset with more digital wallets and streamlined mobile payment options.

“It makes sense for retailers to employ Touch ID for two reasons, simplifying the data entry process and most importantly security,” said Dirk Rients, vice president of Mobile Majority. “Consumers already trust Apple with their data and will quickly see the ease of use and benefit of enabling Touch ID for account log in and payment.”

“One of the biggest issues consumers have expressed when buying on mobile is the checkout process.  Apple has fixed this problem with the combination of Touch ID and Apple Pay, allowing customers to simply verify their current credit card information already on file or add a new one to purchase products with one touch using their device.”

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York