Octopus App for Business now enables all Octopus users to pay on merchant mobile devices — Octopus Cards — “Octopus Cards Limited today launched a new feature to enhance the Octopus App for Business, allowing merchants to accept Octopus card payment through their NFC mobile devices. Users of all Octopus cards and products (including Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay) can simply tap on the merchants’ NFC mobile devices — which can now serve as Octopus readers for easy payments.”
Samsung Pay
Samsung Pay now has 7m users in Korea
Samsung Pay’s monthly Android users hit nearly 7m mark in Feb — Yonhap News — “Some 6.94m users of Android-powered smartphones used Samsung Pay at least once last month… Samsung Pay use was centered during lunch times, with those in their 30s and 40s accounting for 28% and 27%, respectively. The corresponding number for those in their 20s stood at 20%.”
Samsung Pay goes live in Italy
Samsung Pay continues global expansion with launch in Italy — Samsung — “Starting today, Samsung Pay is available to users in Italy with compatible Samsung devices, including wearables like the Samsung Gear S3 and Gear Sport, and the new Galaxy S9 and S9+… Several value-added features will be available exclusively to consumers in Italy. These include discounts up to 20% on popular brands, including Daybreak Hotel, EF Education, Leroy Merlin and Moleskin.”
Samsung Pay to launch in France ‘before the summer’
Groupe BPCE to become the first banking group to launch Samsung Pay in France for Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne customers — Groupe BPCE — “Groupe BPCE is announcing the launch in France of the Samsung Pay mobile payment solution, before the summer and on an exclusive basis, for Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne customers equipped with compatible Samsung smartphones… Customers will be able to make purchases with their smartphones wherever contactless Visa payments are accepted. Holders of the Apetiz meal voucher card will also soon be able to pay for their lunches directly with the Samsung smartphones.”
Mobile payments reach ‘tipping point’ in the UK
Tipping point for ‘tap and go’ as mobile payments top £975 million — Worldpay — “The number of in-store contactless transactions made via a mobile device totalled 126m last year, with the amount spent topping £975m (US$1.3bn). This marks a 328% year-on-year rise in in-store mobile spending… Accounting for 59% of all in-store mobile transactions, the supermarket sector has been an important driver in the uptake of digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, as time-poor shoppers grab groceries on the go. Pubs, bars and restaurants make up a further 12.5% of the total spend.”
One in ten young US adults have used Apple Pay to make an in-store payment
Mobile payments survey: Apple Pay leads Google Pay in usage and interest among Millennials and GenZ in 2018 — Dealspotr — “In-store, a surprising 11% of Millennials and 10% of GenZers have used Apple Pay to pay for items in the checkout line. Apple Pay (10%) was significantly more popular than rival payment platforms such as Google’s Android Pay (4%) and Samsung’s Samsung Pay (2%)… 15% of Millennials and 15% of Generation Z have used Apple Pay to pay when shopping online (vs 9% and 9% for Google Pay).”
Commonwealth Bank of Australia adds support for Samsung Pay
Samsung Pay now available for Commonwealth Bank customers — Commonwealth Bank of Australia — “Commonwealth Bank customers will now have access to Samsung’s contactless payments platform, Samsung Pay… Today’s announcement follows CBA’s partnership with Google in November to offer Android Pay on compatible devices at almost 800,000 stores across Australia. CBA customers have also been able to make payments on the go with Fitbit and Garmin’s new payment-enabled smartwatches.”
Survey finds Samsung Pay influences repeat purchases of Samsung phones in Spain
Samsung Pay reaches 100m euros in transactions since its launch in Spain — Samsung Spain (translation) — “70% of respondents say that one of the reasons to buy a Samsung smartphone is to continue enjoying this service… The same study found that the use of mobile payment has increased notably in 2017, with 19% of users compared to 5% registered in 2016…. The convenience and simplicity offered by Samsung Pay are key factors for 75% of the respondents who gave the service a high satisfaction rating.”
Samsung Pay goes live in Mexico
Samsung Pay now available in Mexico — Samsung — “To bring this service to Mexico, Samsung strategically partnered with some of the country’s leading financial partners, including payment providers (American Express, MasterCard and Visa); banks (Banorte, Banregio, Citibanamex, HSBC and Santander); and banking acquirers, services and tools such as Clip and iZettle… Samsung Pay’s entry into the Mexican market marks the second Latin American country to receive the service and the 20th market worldwide.”
Walt Disney World to pilot cashless resort concept
Walt Disney World to test cashless resort concept at Animal Kingdom Lodge in February — WDW News Today — “Walt Disney World will be testing a cashless environment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge during a limited pilot program beginning February 12th, 2018. Jambo House at the Resort will be the first location to accept electronic payment only for all purchases and services… Valid forms of payments that will be accepted include MagicBands, credit cards, debit cards, Disney Gift Cards, Disney Rewards Redemption Cards and electronic payments methods such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay.”
Chase offers 5% cash back on payments made with mobile wallets
Chase Freedom adds new mobile wallets category to 5% cash back rewards for first quarter — Chase — “Cardmembers can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in quarterly categories during the first three months of 2018, including purchases they make with the card in four mobile wallets. For the first time ever, cardmembers will earn the extra rewards through this new offer when using the following mobile wallets: Chase Pay, Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay.”
Safaricom adds NFC payments to M-Pesa mobile money service
Christmas comes early for Safaricom’s mobile app as it receives the much awaited “big” update — Android Kenya — “Safaricom’s mobile application, dubbed mySafaricom, is receiving a huge update… Smartphones with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology should be in a position to transact using M-Pesa 1 Tap, the latest upgrade to M-Pesa that lets users pay for items at retail outlets and elsewhere via a single ‘tap’, much like Android Pay and Samsung Pay are used for in the markets where they are available.”
Samsung and LG to launch low-end smartphones that support their mobile payment services
Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics to introduce their new low-end smartphones at CES 2018 — ETNews — “Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are going to introduce their new low-end smartphones at CES 2018… Galaxy A8 series are installed with Samsung Pay and fingerprint recognition…. K series are installed with a mobile payment system called LG Pay that is applied to premium smartphones such as G and V series. This is the first time when LG Electronics’ low-end lineup is applied with LG Pay.”
Samsung Pay Rewards expands to Spain
Samsung launches Samsung Rewards, a new loyalty program of Samsung Pay — Samsung Spain (translation) — “Users who make purchases with Samsung Pay will receive Samsung Rewards points each time they make a purchase. The accumulated points will be valid for one year and can be exchanged directly for exclusive gifts.”
Samsung integrates Hong Kong’s Octopus card into Samsung Pay
Samsung teams up with Octopus to launch exclusively the first “Smart Octopus” in Samsung Pay — Octopus Holdings — “Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay will enable NFC payment at all Octopus acceptance points, covering public transport as well as over 21,000 retail outlets, online shopping, recreational facilities, vending machines, self-service kiosks; plus the use of parking and access control facilities at residential or commercial premises.”
Samsung Pay sets its sights on becoming a full service banking wallet
Samsung Pay expanding into mobile banking service — Korea Bizwire — “Samsung Electronics Co’s mobile payment system is moving to expand into the banking sector to offer more diverse services to users… ‘The mobile payment is being developed so that it will one day fully replace a person’s purse or wallet,’ a Samsung executive said.”
Samsung Pay to add social sharing features?
You may soon be able to share your Samsung Pay transactions — SamMobile — “Samsung has built a feature for Samsung Pay that allows users to view a list of all their past transactions and share them to various social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, according to a patent spotted on Kipris’ database. Samsung Pay Story, which the firm describes as a ‘system for sharing buying experiences,’ is expected to be introduced in a future update for Samsung Pay, in an attempt to spread awareness of the payment platform using social media.”
Samsung Pay goes live in Mexico
Samsung Pay officially launches in Mexico — Neowin — “Samsung’s mobile payment solution, Samsung Pay, is set to make its debut today (Nov 21st) in Mexico. Customers interested in using the service have to register first; after approval, users can add their credit/debit card and start using it to pay for products using their mobile devices.”
Samsung Rewards ‘increased the use of Samsung Pay by 48%’
Samsung Rewards: Growing big in year one, with a preview of the year ahead — Samsung — “After a year of growing 25% month-over-month, millions of people are enrolled in and actively use Samsung Rewards. In the first week of November alone, we gained more than one million new users in the United States… We estimate that Rewards increased the use of Samsung Pay by 48%… We are also exploring adding innovative new features that our consumers will enjoy such as peer to peer points sharing and integration with partner loyalty programs.”
Samsung Pay reports 2.5m users in India
Samsung Pay service reaches 2.5 million users in India — Android Headlines — “Samsung Pay reached 2.5 million users in India, one million more than it had in mid-September, a company official said on Wednesday… Samsung’s service is presently available on 26 devices in India, up from ten when it officially debuted in the country in early 2017. It’s currently supported by ten banks and seven more local card issuers.”