Samsung Pay – what is this program and is it needed on the phone?

What Samsung Pay is used for

The service allows you to turn a smartphone into the equivalent of one or more bank cards, allowing you to pay for goods and services both in supermarkets, cafes or transport, and when making purchases via the Internet.

A kind of electronic wallet, protected from other people’s raking paws.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETdpdJwrVUw

It is especially captivating that for payment you can use not only NFC terminals, but also those that work with a credit card magnetic stripe.

Only antique devices, in which the whole card has to be inserted, are not able to work with the service.

How does Samsung Pay work?

Really, everything works simply:

1. Swipe down on the screen.
2. The Samsung Pay app will launch.
3. Log in with your fingerprint or PIN code.
4. We bring the device to the payment terminal and pay.

Important: a cool plus is that this technology does not need the Internet to work. In fact, it turns out that. card data is entered into the phone, and then, with the help of this data, the purchase is paid. Well, the data itself goes to the payment terminal through the air – when you bring the phone to the terminal, it somehow reads the information from the phone.

It seems that it is difficult, but in fact it is not and it is worth it.

I once saw people standing in front of me, he just brought the phone to the terminal and paid for groceries. Well, after it, I already brought my bank card to this device and also paid. Conclusion – I could be wrong, but it seems to really work wherever you can pay with a bank card.

Modern Samsung smartphones allow you to pay for purchases in the same way as you pay for them with a regular bank card. To do this, you need to add your bank card to the Samsung Pay service on your smartphone. After that, you can pay with your smartphone in the same way as with a contactless bank card. For payment you need:

• Bring the smartphone to the terminal;
• Put your finger on the fingerprint scanner on your phone;
• Wait for the operation to be completed;

You do not need to ask the seller for a special terminal or notify the seller that you will pay by phone. If the terminal supports contactless payments or magnetic tape, feel free to bring your phone to pay. No preparatory action is required. To confirm the payment, you can use not only a fingerprint, but also a pre-set PIN code. Using a fingerprint is much faster, as it does not require you to do anything other than having your finger on the fingerprint scanner.

You can pay for a purchase with a smartphone if you have the following gadget models:

• Galaxy S7 edge
• Galaxy S6 edge
• Galaxy Note5
• Galaxy A5
• Galaxy A7
• As well as smart watch Samsung Gear s3

If you are a happy owner of one of these smartphones, then Samsung Pay is at your service. It remains only to update the firmware of the device to the latest version.

After updating the update, you should select the mode of adding “plastic” or take a photo of the card with automatic recognition of the digital code. The easiest option is to enter numbers manually.

Having filled in the fields with the name and surname, the expiration date and the verification three-digit code on the back of the credit card, we draw a personal signature with a finger in a special window, such as on the card. The smart gadget contacts the database of your bank, checking the relevance of the information. If the check is successful, the map appears on the screen. Its appearance is the same as in reality, including background images.

From now on, the virtual card is in combat readiness, the edge of the “plastic” is visible at the bottom of the screen. You can call the card to pay for purchases with a swipe, from bottom to top. The service settings help to set a default credit card, if there are several of them, as well as a type of payment protection – a fingerprint or a pin code. It is safest to choose the first option.

A special module is built into the smartphone, which allows data transfer at a distance of several tenths of a meter. Allowing the purchase, you bring the gadget to the terminal, and that’s it. The further process is the business of the bank, you have nothing to delve into it. The main thing is that it is ultra-safe and extremely fast. A few fractions of a second – the purchase is made, you are happy to go home.

Please note that this system is not supported on all mobile devices. Contactless payment with Samsung Pay is available on the following smartphone models:

1. Product line from the S series, from S6 phone to S9 plus. But the S6 has only an NFC module, which means that the magnetic tape is not available.
2. Devices from the A family, from A5 from 2016 to A6 from 2017.
3. Galaxy Note fifth and eighth models.
4. Smartphones marked J5 and J7, not earlier than 2017.
5. Smart watches Gear Sport and Gear S#3.

Unfortunately, other models from the manufacturer, cheaper and simpler, do not support this type of contactless transaction. Therefore, carefully read the user manual before buying a smartphone.

When the utility is launched for the first time, it may swear and will not start working for a number of reasons that you can fix yourself. Possible failures:

1. Be sure to update the firmware of your mobile device to the latest current version. Old Androids or self-made software do not support the service.
2. For the function to work, create an account in the Samsung system, otherwise you will not be able to log in to the application.
3. Keep in mind that contactless payment only works with certain models of smartphones, so check the compatibility of the utility with your phone in advance.

Sometimes breakdowns and problems cannot be solved on your own. For such cases, the manufacturer’s company has launched a hotline phone, technical support works around the clock and seven days a week. Dial 88005555555, wait for an answer from a specialist and ask a question. Sometimes the culprit of incorrect operation is the NFC chip itself, in which case you need to go to the service department and order a replacement.

We can summarize, Samsung Pay is a unique payment system. The user can make purchases in any store with any terminal, as well as use discount cards. The only negative is a small range of devices that support the function, but it will be replenished soon.

Which devices allow you to use the system

There are not so many models in Russia that allow you to work with Samsung Pay. First of all, this is the Galaxy S line, starting with the S6. Note 5 became the oldest gadget from the Note line supporting the service.

From the more modest A family, the list includes all devices from 2017 and the A5 and A7 (2016). All of them, except S6 and S6 edge, support both contactless payment options.

The above smartphones can only work with

– MST technology is not available to them.

In addition, owners of smart watches Samsung Gear S2 and Gear Sport, which support only NFC, and Gear S3, for which both options are available, can also pay using this PS.

Rooted smartphones cannot be used for payment. As for models from other manufacturers that can work with Samsung Pay, there are none at the moment.

And it is unlikely that the company will give someone the opportunity to use Samsung Knox technology in their gadgets, which ensures the security of using the PS.

Samsung Pay is a modern and convenient contactless payment method. With it, the user can pay for the purchase in any store where an appropriate payment terminal is installed and bank cards are accepted. The main advantage of such a service is that NFC technology is used, as well as MST. Thanks to this symbiosis, the subscriber has the opportunity to make payment transactions even with terminals that read credit card magnetic stripes.

Samsung has created its own technology, with the help of which a mobile device generates an individual magnetic field that imitates a simple bank card. This means that with one mobile phone in their pocket, the consumer can complete any purchase without additional fees.

Paying by phone is quite simple, for this you need to perform a number of simple operations:

1. Purchase a mobile device that supports this feature.
2. Add your virtual card to the application.
3. Select the required credit card from the list of previously added ones. This can be done in the main utility in the corresponding tab or from the list of favorites. Opens after swiping your finger from the bottom up on the smartphone screen. To set up a list of favorite cards, go to your phone settings. Here you can adjust the features of displaying credit cards on the main screen, as well as add the ones you need to the list.
4. Pass authorization, to do this, enter a security password or scan your fingerprint and bring the device to the payment terminal.
5. After that, you have thirty seconds left to complete the payment. After 20 seconds, the repeat icon will appear on the display. If you press it, the waiting time will increase by another 20 seconds.
6. Done. Wait for a check from the terminal. The operation will be successful only if there are funds in the bank account.

Safety

It also turns out that it is also safe – Samsung Pay uses an unrealistic three levels of protection:

1. Tokenization. Instead of a real card number, a token is used – a generated code. Your personal data is not used for payment.
2. Samsung KNOX. This is a built-in security system that protects the phone from hacker attacks, and also checks for vulnerabilities in the phone.
3. Authorization using a fingerprint or pin code. To pay, you must go through authorization, in fact, as when using a bank card. Authorization in Samsung Pay, as I already wrote, is possible both with a fingerprint and with a pin code.

That is, in fact, there is no know-how. This is just a convenient way, but it can hardly be called new technology. Except that. transferring data from the phone to the payment terminal – yes, this is probably the whole point. And payment is made simply using the data that was taken from the card itself in the Samsung Pay application. I mean, the card already has data with which you can pay for goods on the Internet (those who bought understand what I mean).

Yes, that’s cool. But so far, I don’t see the massive use of Samsung Pay technology – perhaps because people are not used to it, or else. it’s just not going so well? I saw only one person.

Rumors about the risks of using Samsung Pay as a contactless payment method are spread by people who, as a rule, do not have such smartphones. Especially ridiculous are the speculations about double debits and scammers with “hacker devices”. Nonsense, pure water, from unenlightened people.

Even if your smartphone is stolen or lost, no one will be able to use your virtual card. Without the owner’s fingerprint, it is impossible to access payments.

To better understand that nothing will happen to the data, just imagine that inside the phone there is just a duplicate of your card, and the fingerprint is a pin code. No card works without a pin code, and payment in Samsung Pay is impossible without a user’s fingerprint.

Among users, there are a sufficient number of those who are afraid for the safety of their data and money when using this payment method. Manufacturers guarantee the highest level of safety. And here are the solid arguments:

1. When making a transaction, personal data is not transferred to the payment terminal and it is impossible to intercept it.
2. No one but you will be able to confirm the payment, because this requires a fingerprint.
3. All Samsung mobile devices are pre-installed with an anti-virus program that blocks infection and prevents information leakage. If an intrusion is suspected, it automatically erases all banking data and transaction history.

It is advisable for each user to observe the following precautions:

1. Do not tell anyone the security code to enter the application, even representatives of banking organizations and relatives.
2. Try to come up with a complex pin code and remember it. If you forgot, then you will not be able to recover the password without a fingerprint.
3. Do not leave your smartphone unattended in a public place and do not pass it on to third parties.
4. If your mobile device is lost or stolen, block it using the Samsung Find My Mobile service and be sure to contact the bank to block the account.
5. If you suspect hacking, also contact the bank.
6. When sending the device for repair or when selling, delete your data, perform a full reset.
7. Install Samsung Pay app updates in a timely manner.
8. Check the amount on the terminal before making a transaction.
9. Do not block the security functions of the system.

If you follow all these recommendations, then your funds will be reliably protected.

What devices does Samsung Pay work on?

So, you have purchased a compatible device, now the question arises, what banks does this function support? You don’t even have to worry about this. At the moment, the manufacturer cooperates with more than 60 banks and this list is constantly updated. Here you will find both the state-owned Sberbank and the recently popular Tinkoff.

If in doubt, you can always check the compatibility information on the official Samsung portal. For this:

1. On the dealer’s website, go to the Samsung Pay tab.
2. After that, in the main window you will see the bank verification tab.
3. Here you will see a list of all organizations with which the contactless payment function cooperates.
4. If you do not want to search, then write the name of your bank in the appropriate field. The system will instantly give you a reliable answer.

In addition, club cards can be added to the application. To view the list of partner companies, click on the item of discount cards, and the display will show a complete list of organizations.

With Samsung Pay, you can pay for in-store purchases on any terminal that supports contactless or magnetic stripe cards. To do this, you need to be the owner of one of the modern Samsung phones:

• Galaxy A5(2016)/A7(2016);
• Galaxy S6/S6 edge/S6 edge ;
• Galaxy S7/S7 edge;
• Galaxy Note5;

Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphones only support NFC payment. This means that they can only pay at contactless terminals. The rest of the smartphones that are on the list allow you to pay at old terminals that accept magnetic stripe cards.

All Samsung flagship phones released since December 2016 are expected to support mobile payment service. It is likely that in 2017-2018 we will see this service on phones of the middle price segment. On the cheapest devices, it is unlikely to appear. But most experts are sure that Samsung Pay will grow and develop steadily.

Please note that only MasterCard cards are supported. Visa cards are also expected to be connected to the system in 2017. You can connect up to 10 different bank cards to one smartphone. One card can be connected to the number of devices that is allowed by the rules of your bank. For example, in Sberbank one card can be linked to only one device.

The service does not allow you to withdraw money from an ATM. But it allows you to cash out money in Europe at the checkout, if the store says that it can return change from bank cards. This happens infrequently, but it happens, and this allows you to cash out money from a card on your phone. Remember that your phone is a complete analogue of your card.

By now, most of the major financial organizations in Russia are already working with the service. Among them are Sberbank, VTB24, Tinkoff, Alfa-Bank, and many others.

To find out if it is possible to link a card to a gadget, you can find a complete list of banks on the official Samsung website.

At the moment, the following banks cooperate with Samsung Pay in our country:

• Alfa-Bank
• MTS-Bank
• VTB
• Russian Standard
• Raiffeisenbank
• Sberbank

The list promises to expand every month, you need to follow this in the news, social networks and our blog. Progressive banks are always among the first to cooperate with the technologies of the future, and Alfa-Bank is no exception. We ran to the nearest branch and checked, indeed, the service is working.

To decide whether it is worth working with such a bank, but this is our subjective opinion. Usually this issue is a matter of prioritization. For example, Alfa-Bank is a large and reliable credit institution that does not shy away from anything new and progressive. By the way, the first Internet banking in our country appeared precisely at Alpha, many then doubted whether such a service was needed. Now every self-respecting user cannot do without it. The same situation is happening now with Samsung Pay.

Alfa-Bank credit cards are created for every taste. Among them, two stand out with an interesting program: “Cashback” and “100 days without%”. One of them does not accrue interest on any purchases for as long as 100 days, and the other brings a favorable percentage of return, from each item or service purchased. And with an Alfa-Bank Russian Railways card, a bonus in the form of points, which you can then use to travel, is returned after every 30 rubles spent.

Can criminals steal funds?

Authorization is required to make any financial transaction using Samsung Pay. If a fingerprint scanner is used in this capacity, then scammers have no chance, even if they manage to steal the smartphone itself.

If a pin code is used, then theoretically it can be spied on in public places.

As for communication channels, everything is no less reliable there. The card details are not stored in the smartphone, they are located on the server of the payment system.

Instead, a unique token is used for each transaction – a randomly generated sequence of symbols.

You should also keep in mind the presence of the KNOX system in Samsung devices, which checks the firmware of the device before registration.

In the presence of rooting, malicious applications or other outside interference, card binding will become impossible, and the application itself will be blocked.

Pros and cons

Advantages of the payment system

• Fast and easy payments.
• The inability to steal funds from the card in one way or another.
• The ability to use both NFC and conventional terminals thanks to proprietary MST technology.
• Support for loyalty programs, thanks to which the user receives bonuses and discounts.

Disadvantages

• A very limited number of models supporting the service.
• Inability to use customized firmware.

Infographics

Already using Samsung Pay or planning to? You can leave your opinion and share your experience of using it in the comments.

In closing

The service could compete with Apple Pay before

, which can be installed on any devices with this OS, including Samsung ones.

True, in this case, you will need to turn off the KNOX system. On the other hand, Xiaomi is already creating its own PS, despite the appearance of Google.

It is not yet clear how the situation on the contactless payment market will develop in general if each large company launches its own service.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNw3VrtkJ28

But in any case, it is too convenient for users to ignore this opportunity to get rid of extra credit cards and at the same time increase security when paying.