PARTNER NEWS: A 10-page guide that explores how Samsung Pay works and its key benefits is now available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More
Archive for May 2017
Bank of America enhances customer choice: Provides secure and reliable access to data
Bank of America enhances customer choice: Provides secure and reliable access to data — Bank of America — “Bank of America is making updates to its Security Center and working with multiple financial data aggregators to provide customers the ability to simply and securely connect data from their Bank of America accounts to third-party financial management applications.”
Phillips 66 unveils new mobile platform at Momentum Conference
Phillips 66 unveils new mobile platform at Momentum Conference — P97 Networks — “The new platform will connect retail fueling consumers to Phillips 66, Conoco, and 76 locations through a mobile app using a dynamic station finder, enabling a mobile payment wallet and delivering contextual commerce digital offers… The ‘Mobile Connect Experience’ is driven by P97’s PetroZone.”
Chip card shipments top more than 2bn in 2016
More than 2bn chip cards were shipped globally by Smart Payment Association (SPA) members in 2016, representing an increase of 4% from 2015, the trade body reveals, with contactless cards accounting for more than 50% of shipments in most regions... More
Samsung says iris scanner hack could “only have been made under a rare combination of circumstances”
Samsung has responded to the group of hackers from the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) who managed to defeat the iris recognition system on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones, saying that the hackers’ claims could “only have been made under a rare combination of circumstances”. More
UAE biometric database will allow residents not to carry ID
UAE biometric database will allow residents not to carry ID — Gulf Business — “The UAE plans to utilise third generation biometric data with the goal of allowing residents not to carry their ID card within the next five years… By 2018, the authority is also aiming to allow 80% people to use government services via their mobile by operating the device’s Near Field Communication chip to read their Emirates ID.”
Android Pay to launch in Canada on May 31
Android Pay to launch in Canada on May 31 — MobileSyrup — “Android Pay is finally set to launch in Canada on May 31st, according to sources that have reached out to MobileSyrup with internal documents… It’s unclear how widespread bank support will be for Android Pay when it launches. We do, however, know that Android Pay will work with ‘major credit and debit cards in Canada’.”
Samsung Pay rolls out across Hong Kong following early access launch
Samsung Pay has gone live in Hong Kong with support from Mastercard, Visa and American Express and banks including Bank of China (Hong Kong), Citibank, DahSing Bank, DBS and Standard Chartered. The launch takes the mobile payment service to a total of 17 markets globally and follows its debut in Taiwan earlier this month. More
Amazon adds shoppable stickers to its iOS app
Amazon adds shoppable stickers to its iOS app — TechCrunch — “Amazon has added support for stickers within its iOS app’s camera feed — the feature that allows you to search for products on its site by viewing real-world objects through your phone’s camera… In addition, you can tap on the “i” (information) button on the stickers themselves to be taken to the product detail page.”
Ant Financial enters Hong Kong market with AlipayHK mobile wallet
Ant Financial enters Hong Kong market with AlipayHK mobile wallet — South China Morning Post — “The mobile wallet and payments app, dubbed AlipayHK, is similar to its Chinese counterpart Alipay — registered users are able to top up their mobile wallets and make in-store payments that are settled in Hong Kong dollars at merchants such as Watsons, Fortress and at supermarkets like ParknShop.”
Macey’s invites shoppers to skip checkout lines
Macey’s invites shoppers to skip checkout lines — Progressive Grocer — “After setting up a free account, Macey’s shoppers simply scan their items as they’re placed in the cart. Once they have everything they need, shoppers simply pay for the purchase directly from their phones using a linked debit or credit card, or the Apple Pay or Android Pay mobile wallet apps, and exit the store via the Skip Checkout lane.”
Danish fintech startup Clearhaus buys 33% of a Danish bank – eyeing new business model and expansion
Danish fintech startup Clearhaus buys 33% of a Danish bank – eyeing new business model and expansion — Clearhaus — “Clearhaus has recently acquired 33% (worth 10 mil EUR) of the Copenhagen Cooperative Bank… Our interest is in closing the gap between traditional banking and acquiring. Clients will be able to see where they stand banking-wise without delay based on their transaction activity. We want to issue cards as well.”
BBVA makes eight APIs available to kickstart open banking program
Spanish bank BBVA has launched its open banking program by making eight of its APIs commercially available for the first time, meaning that third-party companies including startups and developers will be able to build new products and services by accessing and integrating customers’ banking data into their applications. More
Hangzhou buses first to all use mobile pay
Hangzhou buses first to all use mobile pay — China.org.cn — “‘Passengers can use Alipay and UnionPay flash payment cards on this terminal. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Huawei Pay, Mi Pay and Android Pay can be used with smartphones or wearables like watches and electronic bracelets,’ said Liu Xiaojie, general manager of public services at Ant Financial.”
New York forces smart lock maker to improve its security
New York forces smart lock maker to improve its security — Engadget — “Utah-based Safetech Products has agreed to encrypt all of its smart lock passwords, electronic keys and other credentials within its locks, prompt users to change the default password upon initial setup and establish a more comprehensive security program.”
Euro Banking Association paper analyses cryptotechnologies in international payments
Euro Banking Association paper analyses cryptotechnologies in international payments — Euro Banking Association — “Our information paper shows how this technology could support industry players in meeting user expectations regarding speed, transparency and cost. We strongly believe that collaborative initiatives in this area, in particular, could unlock significant value for payment service providers and their customers.”
Mobile wallet Curve launches ‘time travel’ tool to let you ‘shop in the past’
Mobile wallet Curve launches ‘time travel’ tool to let you ‘shop in the past’ — Wired — “Once a person’s cards are uploaded to the Curve platform, they are all stored on a single Curve card. When shopping, they can then choose which account they would like to shop with using an app. If they change their mind, for example if they paid using a credit card but meant to pay with a debit card, the time travel tool lets them go back and swap.”
Iowa smartphone driver’s licenses expected to launch in 2018
Iowa smartphone driver’s licenses expected to launch in 2018 — The Des Moines Register — “Iowans should be able to start downloading their driver’s licenses onto smartphones in about 12 to 18 months, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.”
KPN and Vodafone launch SIM-based mobile payments for public transport
Commuters across the Netherlands can now make payments for travel across “all public transport operators” in the country by adding their OV transport card to their compatible NFC smartphone and tapping the phone against a reader before and after their journeys... More
Control Ikea Home Smart products with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Home app
Control Ikea Home Smart products with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Home app — Ikea — “Ikea is adding functionality to its smart lighting range by enabling people to voice control their lighting with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and to set up and adjust lighting using Apple’s Home app and Siri voice commands. This takes Ikea one step closer to making smart home technology accessible for the many.”