A representative from Samsung has told Business Korea that “We have decided to pre-install Samsung Pay in Samsung Electronics’ smartphones to be released from next year.” All Samsung Phones released with a fingerprint scanner will have Samsung Pay pre-installed on them, including their cheaper J series phones.
They have also announced that they will launch Samsung Pay Mini, this is an application that will allow consumers without a Samsung phone to utilize Samsung Pay. Unfortunately Apple has already rejected the app from it’s store, so it will likely only work on Android devices.
I’m pretty excited about both developments, Samsung Pay is clearly the best mobile wallet platform at the moment as it can be used on all terminals (not just those with near field communication capabilities) thanks to their acquisition of LoopPay and the fact that they have a rewards program and sell discounted gift cards.
I’ve been seriously considering getting a Samsung phone because of these reasons, but with the introduction of the Samsung Pay Mini I might get a Google Pixel instead. The mini is scheduled to launch in January, so I’ll make my decision then.
Update: I originally thought the Samsung Pay Mini was a physical device as well as an app (this would allow it to be used at swipe terminals and NFC terminals like regular Samsung Pay). Unfortunately this is not the case and it’s just an app that can be used for online payments. The phone dilemma continues.
Man it keeps getting better and better. 4× the points from Dec. 27th- Dec. 31st. I just figured out how to get points without purchases too, so easy money
Can SP be used at drive through’s?
Sure if u feel comfortable handing over ur phone to the drive through attendant. I don’t, i will go inside or just hand them card at drive through.
At some of them (I think McDonalds and Chick-fil-A), they have a handheld scanner that they can hold out of the window, and you hold your phone up to that. I think part of the reason for this is that those restaurants also have their own apps that need to be scanned to get deals.
Thinking about this some more.. I’m not sure if at Chick-fil-A you can pay with samsung pay with their handheld scanner. But at McDonalds at least, the thing they hold accepts credit cards, and I’ve used Samsung Pay with that.
Love samsung pay. Makes check out faster now that I don’t have to manually insert card and wait for the annoying beep. Love the 20% discount that’s going on right now on select GCs. The fact that they added rewards points is cake. So was the $15 GC for using a chase card 3 times. Don’t doubt they will offer some kind of bonus in the future to people who recommend samsung mini to new users as well.
Just a little tip, if you have friends who have samsung pay capable devices, but have not used or do not use the chase promotion, you can log into their phone with your samsung.com account and redeem the chase offer again. I have done it 3 times successfully. Upgraded my phone and thought I would give it a shot, and it worked out flawlessly.
You may want to update the post to include some critical information.
Samsung Pay is NOT just software based. otherwise, any phone can just use preexisting NFC tech with the SP app for offline payment. what makes SP so amazing is the proprietary hardware tech thats within the latest phones. its NOT portable via software app.
Therefore:
1) Samsung Pay Mini is JUST an application. Its not a mini hardware token or pseudo phone.
Its noted within the article:
“Samsung Pay Mini,” an application that enables consumers to use its mobile payment system via other smartphones.
2) They further clarify the above point in the linked article but still totally suck at explaining for people who may get confused.
They note:
Samsung Pay Mini plans to target the online payment market, while the existing Samsung Pay targets the offline payment market.
What does this mean?
It means SP Mini is for online shopping. The REAL Samsung Pay is for people who actually own the latest phone.
HOWEVER… Samsung Pay could totally become NFC payment tech for non-Samsung phones just like Apple Pay or Android Pay or Chase Pay or Barclay Pay or any other damn XXX Pay thats coming out and copying each other. If anything, this is what SP Mini will become or by using a Square CC Reader plugin via USB C Thunderbolt as mentioned above by Sandeep.
This is actually funny because when Apple Pay came out, people blasted me when I told them about the hardware limitation saying they will bring their iPad mini to the store and rape the Discover 10% via NFC. Sure buddy. You do that. Let me know how that goes.
That sucks, I thought Samsung Pay Mini was a physical device as well, like the old LoopPay.
yea but who knows what will happen after launch right? Samsung could do some crazy things. Maybe team up with Stratos and get Samsung Pay via CC or actually bust out the LoopPay Card themselves altho its bulky.
The mini version of the app may not compatible with all terminals, since the MST technology requires a special hardware component for the non-NFC terminals.
I thought the Samsung Pay mini contained this hardware though?
The app is a software not a hardware
Correct, it needs a tiny coil to be able to talk to the magnetic strip readers, which is not available in non-Samsung phones. So, unless there’s a pluggable attachment that can do the communication, no hope for the other phones. I guess that’s why they named it a ‘mini’
Well that sucks, they should just bring back the looppay thing and let that communicate with Android phones.
My guess it’s gonna be good for everything else. Like GC purchases, rewards, in-app Samsung Pay acceptance, etc. Yu just cannot use all phones at a terminal.
Fingers crossed, I’d love the 20% off gift cards at least.
Good news on Samsung Pay Mini. Now all the phones here can collect thousands of reward points.