Amazon One: The End of Palm ID System in Retail

Amazon has announced the discontinuation of its Amazon One palm recognition ID system for stores later this year, with services set to end on June 3, 2026. This decision comes as a response to limited customer adoption of the authentication service for facility access and payment.

The company stated that all customer data associated with Amazon One will be securely deleted after the service ends, emphasizing the importance of user privacy.

Amazon’s move to discontinue Amazon One coincides with the closure of all Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations, redirecting focus towards Whole Foods Market locations and grocery delivery from Amazon.com.

Initially launched in 2020, Amazon One aimed to streamline in-store entry and payments by identifying opted-in customers, eliminating the need for physical credit cards. The technology was integrated with the Just Walk Out feature, enabling a seamless checkout experience for users.

Following its debut in Amazon Go stores, Amazon One expanded to third-party retailers, stadiums, airports, and convenience stores, eventually reaching over 500 U.S. Whole Foods locations by 2023.

In 2024, Amazon introduced a mobile app for Amazon One, allowing users to easily sign up for the service on their smartphones for added convenience.

Despite its convenience, Amazon One faced criticism over privacy and security concerns, notably sparking backlash from artists at Red Rock Amphitheatre outside of Denver in 2022.

While Amazon did not provide specific reasons for discontinuing the service, some locations may remove Amazon One devices before the official end date. However, the service will remain available for patient check-ins at existing healthcare locations until further notice.

Users have the option to manually unenroll from Amazon One by accessing the designated page and following the instructions in the “Unenroll” section.

Related: The rise and fall of Amazon’s homegrown stores: A decade of retail experiments comes full circle