Consumers can set up the payment service by adding card details to the Samsung Pay app from today
Samsung has today (May 16) launched its contactless mobile payment service in the UK, a year after the release of Android Pay and two years after Apple Pay.
The payment system allows user to make payments for goods with Samsung devices including the Galaxy S8, S8+, A3 and A5 (2017), J series (2017).
Consumers can set up the payment service by adding card details to the Samsung Pay app.
Other compatible devices include the Galaxy S6/S6 edge and S7/S7 edge.
With the S8 range users have the option to authorise payments with the iris scanner. Authorisation can also be done through the fingerprint scanner or a pin code. Card details are protected by Samsung Knox, the Korean manufacturer’s internal security software.
Security
Card details are not stores on devices but on digital tokens, developed by Mastercard. The payment firm will generate a unique digital ‘token’ when a device and card is registered. Therefore the device can can’t be used in conjunction with any other device.
Mastercard UK & Ireland president Mark Barnett said: “Every Samsung Pay transaction made with Mastercard is highly secure – a critical part of this is our ability to tokenise cardholder details”.
Major payment networks supporting Samsung Pay include: Mastercard and Visa and cards issued by MBNA, Nationwide and Santander.
American Express, first direct, HSBC and M&S Bank will join the list at a later date.
Smarter wallet
Samsung UK and Ireland vice president of IT and mobile Conor Pierce (pictured) said: We are thrilled to be introducing another innovative service to our latest flagship devices, reinforcing our commitment to making people’s lives easier.
“We hope the UK launch of Samsung Pay will transform the way our customers pay for day-to-day items, giving consumers a safer, smarter mobile wallet.”