To date, cash is gradually moving out of use and most purchases are made using plastic cards. Everyone has cards, they are paid salary, scholarship, pension and so on. At every outlet there is always at least one terminal for payment with a plastic card. Bank cards have become an integral part of our lives and the destruction of cash is only a matter of time.
The next step in the development of technology is contactless payment. Many cards already support this technology and allow you to make purchases only by attaching a card to the terminal. This technology has served as a catalyst for the emergence of specialized chips and payment systems in devices that we literally do not get out of hand - in our smartphones.
In 2016, Samsung Pay service was launched in Russia, which allows owners of phones from the Samsung Galaxy series to make payments from bank cards without using the bank cards themselves. The article will discuss how Samsung Pay works, how safe it is and what difficulties users will encounter. Compare technology with competitor solutions.
System requirements
First, find out which devices Samsung Pay works on. This technology requires not only software innovations, but also hardware, so you need to make sure that your smartphone supports this technology or not.
So, the Samsung Pay payment system works with the following gadgets:
- Samsung Galaxy S8;
- Samsung Galaxy S7 ;
- Samsung Galaxy S6 (with restrictions);
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5
- Samsung Galaxy A7
- Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017);
- Samsung Gear S3.
These are the devices from Samsung that are equipped with NFC or MST chips and support modern software.
Unlike Apple or Google products, Samsung Pay looks very limited, because the number of supported devices is much lower. In the case of Apple, we get support for all smartphones released since 2014 (from 2013, if you connect the Apple Watch), and in the case of Google, any gadgets on which you can install the official Android version 4.4 are supported, and there are hundreds of them in the world thousand
Which banks work with Samsung Pay?
As with other payment systems, the launch of the payment system was accompanied by a number of restrictions. For example, Sberbank entered into an exclusive launch agreement with Apple, and for this reason Samsung lost the opportunity to connect this bank before the contract expires. Now the situation has stabilized and almost all popular banks work with all payment systems.
So, the banks working with Samsung Pay are as follows:
- Sberbank
- BinBank.
- GAZPROMBANK.
- "Discovery" (Rocketbank).
- "Russian standard".
- Tinkoff.
- and Yandex.Money electronic wallet.
It is important to understand which cards Samsung Pay works with. To connect to a payment system, you need a card that supports PayPass or PayWave technology. In the case of Visa cards, there are restrictions on the number of banks that work with Samsung Pay. The restrictions can be found on the official website of the company.
How to connect?
To start using Samsung Pay, you need to make sure that your gadget supports the payment system and download the application of the same name. When you enter the application, it will ask you to set a password (or fingerprint) to lock the screen. In the future, a PIN code or fingerprint will be used to confirm transactions. Then you need to attach the card itself. You can do this in two ways: manually, by entering all the data, or automatically, by pointing the camera at it. The second option works well, but you still have to enter the CVV code yourself. If the card suits the application, then immediately after this procedure, a check from the bank will follow. You will receive an SMS with a code to activate the payment system, without it, further payment will not work. The final step is to add an electronic signature. It is rarely needed, but when you need it, the cards may not be near, and then a digital signature will help you out.
Is it safe to use Samsung Pay?
The security issue concerns users first. New technologies always inspire fear, especially when it comes to money. Even the bank cards themselves were hard to accept. Regarding security, things are as follows. In a nutshell, then Samsung Pay is the safest way to pay, much safer than regular cards. If in more detail, then smartphones use a special tokenization system. When a user tries to make a payment, the phone does not use the data from the card, but creates a digital impression of it, each time unique, and shares it with the terminal. The terminal also contacts the bank and reports on successful payment (unless, of course, you have run out of money). Token data is stored in the gadget itself, so you can pay for something even without the Internet.
Do not forget that each purchase must be confirmed, and for this the user must enter a PIN code or attach his finger to the fingerprint sensor. Even if an attacker with a portable terminal sneaks up on you, he will not be able to steal a penny from you, as he will not be able to confirm the payment.
But what about viruses and hacking the operating system, Android is far from iOS security? In fact, everything is not so bad. Samsung introduced its own protection mechanism into the system, which continuously scans the system for malware and vulnerabilities, and if a virus does get through it, then Samsung Pay service will be blocked and payment data will be erased.
How does Samsung Pay work?
Let's move on to payment. Samsung Pay works the same way as a regular bank card. And like any card, not just the one that supports NFC. The fact is that not all terminals in Russia support NFC. Many still work only with magnetic tape, so some phones cannot pay. This applies to the iPhone and all Android devices except Samsung. When paying on older terminal models, proprietary MST technology is used. The phone creates a magnetic field, similar to what is created using a magnetic bank card. The terminal responds to it and accepts payment. Therefore, the answer to the question "where does Samsung Pay work?" it sounds like "everywhere."
Possible problems
Already at the start, when the technology began to be introduced to the masses, users faced a number of problems.
- Look again at which phones Samsung Pay works. Users often ignore this simple task and run to complain in the forums that the technology does not work as stated.
- Make sure your phone has the latest version of the operating system. You need to go into the settings and check the firmware version so that the phone downloads the latest updates.
- Even if you installed the latest version of the operating system, the software may not be adapted to work in your country. For example, Samsung Pay did not work with S7 until the necessary work was launched to launch the service on the manufacturer's side. Maybe you should wait a bit. Do not forget that you must have the original firmware installed, without root rights. If you hacked the system or bought a phone from your hands, contact the official service center, there you will be restored to the original firmware.
- Do not forget that for the operation of any service from Samsung you need a personal account, which the phone offers to create at the time of launch. If you still haven’t done so, go to the settings and find the “Accounts” submenu there.
- In the case of smartphones from the Galaxy S6 line, payment via MST does not work, so before paying, make sure that the terminal supports contactless payment (usually there is a corresponding icon in the form of waves on these).
Promotions and discounts
To attract users to the new technology, Samsung has agreed with a number of Russian brands on the organization of promotions. One of these was the “Pay with a smartphone. Movie tickets". Under the terms of the promotion, anyone who bought a ticket in the Kinohod service via Samsung Pay received a 100% discount on their next purchase. Now there is a 50% discount on paying for a trip in the metro on the MCC line. In the US, Samsung launched an even larger and longer-term promotion. There, every purchase made using the company's payment service allows you to accumulate points, which can then be spent on other products in the Samsung Rewards store. When this service gets to Russia is unknown.
First impressions and reviews
Many owners of gadgets from Samsung really liked the idea of combining a wallet and a smartphone. It's so easy! A smartphone is much more convenient and useful than cash or a card, and most importantly, it is always with us. The first reviews of how Samsung Pay works are encouraging. Soon it’s already a year since people use the payment system and mostly respond positively to a new (for some already familiar) experience. The system works in all major shopping centers, using your phone you can easily pay for fast food and travel on the subway. Many have already forgotten where their bank card is located, because it is no longer needed. Not always sellers and cashiers respond adequately to technology. The training was conducted in all major networks, but somewhere in the indoor market you may encounter perplexed looks or even fear, so be careful.
Instead of a conclusion
Samsung Pay has a lot of advantages over conventional bank cards. This, of course, is a very successful technology, which over time will become more popular. A wallet in a smartphone is exactly what a modern person needs to make it easier to part with their money. It is convenient, safe and very fast, and if you try it once, you will want to try again and again, because now you know how Samsung Pay works and you can do it. Nevertheless, do not forget the first time to carry a card with you and a little cash in reserve, because the situations are different.
Pros:
- Works with terminals without an NFC chip.
- Different payment protection options.
- Discounts and promotions.
Minuses:
- Doesn't work on jailbroken devices.
- A limited number of smartphones working with a payment system.