Visa Partners With Samsung to Bring PayWave to Next Generation Samsung Devices

PayWave, Visa’s mobile wallet app, will be preinstalled on the “next generation” of Samsungdevices, Visa confirmed on Monday. The platform is part of the “Visa Ready Program,” which allows companies (banks, carriers, manufacturers) to connect to Visa’s network. To that end, future Samsung owners will be able to use NFC to take advantage of the system for mobile payments.

Unfortunately, The Verge suggests PayWave likely isn’t coming to the states, though Visa didn’t outright say so in as many words. Visa said it’s more focused on markets that have less “heavily operator subsidized models,” so take that for what it’s worth. We can certainly expect Verizon to skip out—if it does come to the U.S.—as the company has its own solution and has previously shunned Google Wallet.

Seeing as the next generation of Samsung devices will receive the PayWave treatment, perhaps we’ll see it first on the Galaxy S IV. That we won’t know until March 14.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Vodafone and Visa announce mobile payments app for Android-toting Aussies

Sometime next year, Vodafone subscribers in Australia can expect to taste the sweet fruit of mobile payments, which comes thanks to the carrier's partnership with Visa. Computerworld Australia reports that Vodafone SmartPass is currently being tested on Android phones in the land down under, which relies on an NFC-enabled SIM card. It's also said that the carrier plans to introduce a Windows Phone app, although it has no intention of developing a solution for iOS, which is due to the iPhone's lack of NFC. While mobile payments still remains a mere pipe dream for many, it's said that Vodafone will eventually bundle the SmartPass app on all smartphones that support NFC. Unfortunately, the technology may remain cumbersome, as it'll require users to load currency into a prepaid account for use -- something Google has already kicked to the curb. If you'll recall, Vodafone first announced its initiative with Visa in February of this year, although at the time, it was said that only a few European counties would make the initial cut. To learn more about what Vodafone has in store for its Aussie constituency, feel free to hit up the source link.

[Source: Engadget]