Samsung will expand its mobile payment system, Samsung Pay, to include online payments in the new year.
The Korean electronics giant rolled out its answer to Apple Pay earlier in the year, enabling payments to be made using appropriately equipped Samsung smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy S6 was the first to enable such payments.
However, Samsung has broader ambitions for its payment platform. It’s now got the likes of PayPal and other online payment systems in its sights, according to a new Reuters report.
Apparently, Samsung will expand its payment service in the US (where it launched on September 28) in 2016, allowing users to shop online using their Samsung phones.
Thomas Ko, global co-general manager of Samsung Pay, is reported to have said in an interview that wider “handset availability of Samsung Pay as well as online payment support is coming soon.”
As this suggests, Samsung will also be releasing lower-end smartphones capable of making Samsung Pay payments in in the new year.
Related: Apple Pay vs Samsung Pay
While Samsung doesn’t quite have the brand strength of Apple in the US, its mobile payment system does have one notable advantage over Apple Pay – and every other mobile payment for that matter. It can be used with existing card reader technology as well as new NFC systems, which is a massive plus in a country that has been relatively slow to adopt modern payment standards.
If Samsung adds online payments to its package, Samsung Pay could become even more appealing to those in the US looking to abandon their wallets.
Debating whether to go Samsung or Apple? Take a look at our smartphone buyers guide video:
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
