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Samsung Pay now works with your loyalty cards in the US
Samsung Pay can substitute for your credit and debit cards, but those probably aren't the only hunks of plastic you're looking to replace. What about the points program card for the grocery store, or the discount card for the pharmacy? Relax. Samsung Pay now supports loyalty and membership cards in the US, so you can make the most of those price drops and freebies without bulking up your wallet.
Samsung team-up aims to improve your mobile payments
If you've ever tried paying with your phone at a store, you know that the experience is often only as good as the payment reader -- a sketchy terminal could lead to you pulling out a credit card in embarrassment. Samsung thinks the industry can do better, though. It's partnering with some of the larger point-of-sale device makers (such as Verifone and Ingenico) to guarantee "maximum compatibility and universal acceptance" for Samsung Pay. The hope is that this will boost the adoption of mobile payments simply by giving you a better time when you tap-to-pay, with fewer errors that make you rethink the whole concept.
Samsung Pay joins China's trillion dollar mobile wallet market
With Apple already expecting China to be its biggest mobile payment market, it's no surprise that its biggest direct competitor, Samsung, also wants a slice of this piping hot pie. After a one-month public beta, today the Korean giant is officially launching its Samsung Pay service in China in partnership with UnionPay -- inevitably the same bankcard company that helped launch Apple Pay locally. In other words, only UnionPay credit and debit cards -- up to 10 of them per device -- can be associated with local Samsung phones for the time being.
Apple leads the (tiny) mobile payment world
It's no secret that the mobile payment space is becoming increasingly crowded, but who's out in front? If you ask Crone Consulting, it's Apple... although Cupertino might not have much to crow about. The analyst group estimates that Apple Pay is the market leader, with 12 million iPhone owners making tap-to-pay purchases at least once a month. Android Pay and Samsung Pay are distant seconds with 5 million active users apiece. However, Crone is quick to note that both of these rivals are roughly half a year old -- they're catching up quickly to an incumbent that's been around for a year and a half.
Samsung Pay racks up 5 million users in half a year
Samsung Pay is off to a promising start... if you ask Samsung, at least. The company reports that Samsung Pay picked up 5 million users in its first six months, handling over $500 million in purchases over that time frame. There's a "strong adoption rate" in both South Korea and the US, Samsung adds. That doesn't sound like a big number on a global scale, but Samsung is teasing a 2016 expansion that now includes Canada alongside already-announced arrivals in Australia, Brazil, China (now due in March), Singapore, Spain and the UK. The future sounds bright, then, although the figures leave some unanswered questions about whether or not Samsung can keep the momentum up.
Samsung Pay works with 19 more banks in the US
Samsung has signed a deal that'll get its smartphone-based payments system accepted with 19 more banks in the US. The agreement means that you'll now be able to use your Galaxy smartphone as a substitute for a PNC Visa and KeyBank MasterCard credit and debit card. In addition, the partnership means that plenty of regional issuers are now signed up, including TCF Bank, Utah Community Credit Union and USC Credit Union. If you've yet to make a splash into the realm of Samsung Pay, you'll need to grab a Galaxy S6 variant or a Note 5 and download the app from Google Play and dash to your nearest franchise coffee house.
Samsung Pay stores your gift cards, lets you buy new ones
Samsung Pay was already handy for using the company's line of Galaxy phones to take care of mobile payments via credit and debit cards. Making good on its promise ahead of the holidays, Samsung added the ability for you to use those gift cards you're sure to receive in the weeks to come. Similar to the bank and credit card methods that Samsung Pay already employs, the app will allow you to load those gift cards to keep your pockets free of extra clutter on your next shopping trip.
Samsung Pay won't arrive on the Gear S2 until next year
If you were hoping to pay for a few Christmas presents with your new Samsung Gear S2, you'll have to wait until next year. After pledging to deliver Samsung Pay to its latest smart watch in November, the company now says the mobile payments won't arrive on the NFC-equipped wearable until 2016. News of the delay comes from the US Samsung Mobile Twitter account in response to a customer looking for more information.
Samsung Pay gets support for cards from Chase bank
Today, Samsung's making good on a promise recently made to people in the US. The company has announced that its mobile payments system, Samsung Pay, now works with Visa debit and credit cards from Chase bank. Last month, Samsung also said the app would be adding support for gift cards from "top" retailers in entertainment, dining, grocery and fashion, but this feature hasn't officially launched yet. Nevertheless, this shows Samsung is serious about expanding Pay and that, most importantly, it's getting the backing it needs from banks, retailers as well as carriers.
Apple is reportedly working on peer-to-peer payments
Apple is reportedly in negotiations with US banks to create a mobile personal payment platform that would compete with PayPal's popular Venmo app. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources close to the talks, states that discussions are currently ongoing though there's no confirmation that any banks have actually signed on yet. Chase, Capital One, Wells Fargo and Bank have all been named as potential partners.
Samsung Pay will work with more credit and gift cards in the US
Samsung Pay will be a lot more useful in the US these coming months. According to the South Korean electronics maker, the mobile payment service is doing quite well in the country, but it still has a limited reach because it only supports cards issued by a handful of major banks. In the coming months, though, the app will start accepting cards from Chase, PNC Bank, TD Bank, SunTrust, Fifth Third Bank, Key Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, Virginia Credit Union, Associated Bank, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union and People's United Bank. Have a Discover card? You have to wait a bit longer, but the payment facility will begin supporting it sometime in 2016.
Samsung Pay is now available on all major US carriers
Samsung has opened the floodgates to its mobile payment solution in the US. The company announced today that Samsung Pay now works with all major US carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular and, despite some drama, Verizon. In order to take advantage of this feature, which is Samsung's answer to Apple Pay, you'll of course need to have a compatible smartphone -- like the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ or Galaxy Note 5. Samsung Pay first became available Stateside in beta on September 28th, but as of today anyone on one of the big networks can start using it. To do so, download the app from Google Play, enter your debit/credit card information and you'll be set.
Verizon's Samsung Pay update now out for compatible phones
Verizon has started rolling out the software update it promised earlier this October -- one that adds Samsung Pay to the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5. A Reddit user has posted a snapshot of an email sent to Samsung reps at Best Buy confirming the upgrade, while Android Central's Andrew Martonik has already installed it on his Galaxy S6. The mobile payment app arrived in the US for other carriers in September, but Big Red was a bit late to the party. Take note that it only works with MasterCard, Visa or AMEX issued by a major bank, though, such as Citi and Bank of America. Even if you couldn't care less about Samsung Pay, you may still want to download that update when you get it. It also patches up the Stagefright Android vulnerability, which gives hackers access to your phone just by sending an infected MMS.
Chinese hackers attacked the company behind Samsung Pay
A notorious group of state-sponsored Chinese hackers reportedly broke into the computer systems of LoopPay, the company that created the tech used in Samsung Pay. According to the NYT, the breach by the so-called Codoso Group occurred in March, well before Samsung acquired LoopPay for $250 million. The technology forms the core of Samsung's mobile payment system, which launched in the US on September 28th. However, Samsung says that "Samsung Pay was not impacted and at no point was any personal payment information at risk."
Verizon: Samsung Pay support is coming in a software update
Last we heard, Verizon was still evaluating whether or not it would support Samsung Pay. But today the carrier shared some good news, revealing it will open its doors to the Korean company's mobile payment solution. Unfortunately, Verizon decided to keep the announcement vague, only going as far as saying that support for Samsung Pay is set to be available "through a future software update." Once it arrives, though, you'll need to have a compatible device to take advantage of the feature -- and this includes the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5. Hang tight, at least now you know it's actually coming.
Samsung Pay goes live in the US
Got one of Samsung's newer smartphones? Most likely, you can use it to make purchases across the US: as promised, Samsung Pay has launched Stateside. The technology lets you buy goods most anywhere that accepts card- or NFC-based payments, so you probably won't have to fret about bringing out your wallet at the local shop. If anything, the big challenge is getting the exact combination of hardware and credit cards needed to make this work. You'll need a Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ or Note 5 running on one of four big US carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or US Cellular), and you'll need an American Express, MasterCard or Visa card issued through large banks like Bank of America, Citi or US Bank. Don't expect to pay for snacks with your credit union card and a Verizon phone, then. This is still a big deal if you're a Samsung fan, though, and the company is promising broader support over time.
Samsung Pay is a hit in its home country
Samsung Pay has barely been available for a month in its home country of South Korea, but that isn't stopping Samsung from crowing about its early success. The tech giant says that it has already seen the equivalent of $30 million in transactions in that first month, spread across 1.5 million purchases. That's not a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it's "beyond" what the company was hoping for. These aren't just one-and-done tests, either. About 36 percent of users were active in the past month, while 10 percent were enthusiastic enough to use Samsung Pay every day. And in case you're curious, the Galaxy Note 5 was the weapon of choice -- 60 percent of Korean purchases went through the supersized phone.
Verizon is still 'evaluating' support for Samsung Pay
We hope you weren't planning to use your Verizon-badged Galaxy S6 or Note 5 with Samsung Pay on September 28th... you might be disappointed. Big Red notes that it's still in the "process of evaluating" Samsung Pay while AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular have already pledged support. This doesn't rule out Verizon offering Samsung Pay on launch, but we wouldn't count on it given how carrier approval processes are seldom swift -- just ask anyone who waited months for a Verizon-ready Nexus 6.
Watch Samsung Pay in action, which hits the US on September 28
Samsung Pay, the Korean electronics giant's shiny new mobile payment solution, is finally hitting the US on September 28. Ahead of that, we got a brief look at Samsung Pay in action on its new Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Note 5 phones. We didn't get to try it out ourselves, unfortunately, but Samsung reps were able to show it off in a (heavily scripted) demo. While Samsung Pay offers NFC payments just like Apple Pay, its real differentiating feature is its ability to mimic traditional magnetic card swipes, technology which came over with Samsung's acquisition of LoopPay earlier this year. That means it should be compatible with the vast majority of stores with standard credit card readers -- no need to hunt down NFC-equipped registers. A beta test for Samsung Pay will kick off in the US this month, though details on that are sparse. The feature is also compatible with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, but you're out of luck if you're running older handsets.
Samsung Pay makes its way to smart TVs
Samsung is making it simpler to shop for apps, in-app purchases, books and movies, among other things, on its smart TVs. Months after launching its mobile payment system, the Korean company's now introducing a new service aptly called "Samsung Pay on TV." You can either set it up with a credit/debit card or with a PayPal account -- once that's done, the TV will only ask you for a four-digit PIN number every time you make a purchase. If your CC numbers or PayPal email and password are already associated with a pre-existing Samsung account, they'll automatically be used with the service when you sign in. But in case you do have to type those in, the TV will make you use Samsung's new and secure virtual keyboard.
