The Samsung Pay app, that was only available for Samsung smartphones, it will be compatible with any phone that runs an Android software.
However, this doesn’t mean that the application has been released far and wide for all Android mobile phones. To be able to use the service, the user has to manage it from the Samsung G3 smartwatch, Samsung confirmed AndroidCentral on a Twitter publication.
Through the years, Samsung has tried to keep their features unique and exclusive for users that have Samsung devices. Nonetheless, the electronics company decided to change this policy alongside the release of the new Gear S3. Now, no matter the brand of the phone that the person uses, the only condition is to have an Android software 4.4 KitKat or above and the wearable device to control the Samsung Pay app.
“The more you use Samsung Pay, the more rewards you get. Earn ten points for every qualifying purchase and get rewarded with everything from a Samsung Rewards card to a Gear VR,” the company´s official website affirms.
This new decision from Samsung will let the potential costumers of the smartwatch enjoy all the primary features that are being offered, regardless of which phone company they are using. The timing is perfect for this innovation because the Gear S3 Classic has already one week in the South Korean markets, one of Samsung´s leading commercial priorities. And today, November 18, the device has been released in both US and the UK simultaneously.
The mechanism is yet to be defined, as it´s not clear how the non-Samsung phones will work with the incorporation of Samsung Pay app. The most viable possibility is the launching of a partner app with the same characteristics, in part because it would be unpractical to synchronize the credit cards directly on the watch. Also, Samsung has not explained how the MST and NFC payment will work on the watch when matched with the Android phone.
Samsung Pay features
Samsung Pay is an online platform made initially for Samsung smartphones that work as a digital wallet for the owner. The first step to activate the application is storing the owner´s credit cards or gift cards in the app. Then, the user can proceed to any store and make the payments with this service, after authorizing the paying with fingerprint or pin authentication.
Samsung assures the user that all the data within the app is completely encrypted, and if the cell phone is stolen or lost, the company offers the possibility to erase all the personal information immediately.
Right now, more than 300 banks function with this Samsung Pay feature, and the company establishes that almost every credit card with a barcode can be added to the application´s database.
Also, Samsung offers the earning of several rewards with the usage of the App.
Source: Android Central