Motiv Smart Ring Can Use Your Walking Pattern to Unlock Accounts

Motiv’s fitness tracking smart ring has recently been given some snazzy upgrades aimed at increasing your security, but the latest news is that it’s now available outside the United States for the first time, coming to a number of territories and to physical Smartech stores.

Following its launch in the U.S., buyers in Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and 20 other countries will now be able to purchase the smart Motiv Ring, freeing up their wrist by using their finger to track their fitness, monitor their heart rate, and unlock digital security. The Motiv Ring will also be launching in Smartech stores across eight European countries.

We’ve been following Motiv’s smart ring for some time now. If you’re not familiar with the finger-based smart device, the titanium-coated ring pairs with your Android or iOS smartphone, and it counts your active minutes — ensuring you hit 150 minutes a week. It even includes a heart rate sensor, giving people a much more subtle option for casual fitness tracking. Motiv is also looking to branch the subtle device into other elements of everyday life — and online security is at the top of the list.

Motiv’s new security features come in two varieties — token authentication and biometric identification. Token authentication allows your Motiv smart ring to work as the second layer of defense for your most important accounts. Rather than sending a two-factor authorization code or request to your smartphone or email address, you’ll be able to certify your login attempt with a simple gesture of your Motiv ring. It will also support password-free logins on Google Chrome and Windows Edge with FIDO2 and WebAuthn.

There’s the ability to use biometric identification to shore up your security as well, with fingerprint scanning and facial recognition available through the Motiv app, using your phone’s own sensors. But the ring isn’t without its own biometric security too. Motiv has also announced WalkID, which uses your unique method of walking as identification. According to Motiv, gait is as individual and unique as a fingerprint, and the smart ring’s continuous tracking will allow it to keep track of this.

These features are coming to all Motiv smart rings, and are available on iOS, and through open beta on Android. Motiv is also releasing three new finishes: rose gold, silver, and black. All finishes have also been upgraded with a new, superior scratch-resistant coating.

There hasn’t been an increase in price, and you’ll be able to pick up the Motiv smart ring from $199 from Amazon or Motiv. If you’re unsure about the size you need, Motiv is also releasing a digital sizing tool that uses A.I. to pinpoint the ring you need.

Updated on November 15, 2018: The Motiv Ring is releasing in a number of new countries.