Selfie lovers in Japan have a new go-to device in case the battery on their smartphone runs out - a vending machine that takes pictures and uploads them too!
Cashing-in on the selfie craze, the next time a consumer want to purchase something from a vending machine they get to have their picture clicked by the machine free as a bonus. The vending machine is also connected to Line, a popular messaging app in Asia, and will share the selfie to the user's Line account.
Sounds gimmicky? Dubbed the "Vendorphoto," the selfie vending machine is the brainchild of Kirin Co., a Japan-based beverage company, which is poised to introduce the machines in the country this month.
The contraption has been created in tandem with Line Corp. and Intel, and has a massive LCD display, as well as cameras which enable the clicking of a free selfie. One can also choose from a slew of backgrounds.
The screen not only displays the products up for purchase from the vending machine, but also acts like a photo display.
The selfie vending machines will basically offer the free selfie photo (or jidori as selfies are called in Japanese) option only to those who purchase a product. If you're worried about the first shot not coming out well, then there is no need to worry as the machine gives you three attempts. The backgrounds which are available are like the illustrations available on the popular 'purikura' photo booths.
Kirin will be the first company to offer such feature-equipped machines in Japan. The company is optimistic that the Vendorphoto machine will catch on with the consumers.
"Our goal is to make vending machines fun and exciting, instead of something with which customers simply make purchases," noted a Kirin spokesperson.
The Vendorphoto machine is able to display three languages: Korean, English and Chinese. Apart from taking selfies, the machine can also carry out other tasks such as issuing earthquake or emergency alerts, transmitting ads and promos.
For those who do not want to get a free selfie clicked, the option to only purchase the drink also exists.
