At its Galaxy S21 Unpacked event earlier this year, Samsung announced a series of partnerships with automakers. The Genesis GV60 will become the first vehicle to showcase the innovative new technology when it launches in September, starting in Korea.

Samsung’s digital key is powered by advanced UWB technology, a short-range, wireless communication protocol that uses radio waves to operate, much like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. However, UWB transmits radio waves at a much higher frequency, enabling highly accurate spatial awareness and directional capabilities that allow mobile devices to understand their surroundings better.

UWB enables passive entry, so you can say goodbye to digging through your pockets and bags in search of your keys. You’ll be able to lock and unlock your car, start the engine, open the trunk and even activate personalized settings like adjusting your seat and mirror position before you enter the car — all through your smartphone and without pushing a button. If you’re lending your car to a friend or family member for a short period, you can easily share the digital key and even set a time limit on how long the shared key will be available to them.⁴

The solution uses Samsung’s embedded Secure Element (eSE), designed to protect your most sensitive information and encryption keys, so you never have to worry about your keys falling into the wrong hands. The precision of UWB technology also stops potential relay attacks, where the radio signal is jammed or intercepted. Samsung’s digital key is fully compliant with the digital key standard as defined by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), in which Samsung has been one of the driving members.

“We are proud to partner with Genesis as part of our mission to create exciting new mobile experiences that can make people’s everyday lives easier,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “As we continue to drive advancements in mobile technology like UWB, our priority is now to bring these new experiences to as many people as possible, in collaboration with our trusted ecosystem partners.”

“GV60 will set the bar for luxurious electric vehicle representing the electrification of the Genesis brand,” said Albert Biermann, President and head of R&D division at Hyundai Motor Group. “The partnership with Samsung Electronics will strengthen our efforts to provide truly differentiated experiences for our customers to interact with Genesis vehicles.”

Samsung’s digital key will be available in NFC and UWB with the Genesis GV60 initially in Korea by the end of this year. The UWB digital key is compatible with Galaxy S21+ and Ultra, Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 and 3. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/levant/apps/samsung-pass/ or www.genesis.com/worldwide/en/models/luxury-suv-genesis/gv60/highlights.html.

About Genesis

Genesis is a global luxury automotive brand that delivers the highest standards of performance, design, safety and innovation while looking towards a more sustainable future. Genesis designs customer experiences that go beyond products, embodying audacious, progressive and distinctly Korean characteristics within its unique “Athletic Elegance” design identity. With a growing range of luxury models — including the G90, G80, G70, GV60, GV70, and GV80 — Genesis aims to lead the age of electrification by focusing on a dual electrification strategy involving fuel-cell and battery EVs, starting with its G80 and GV60 electric models. Genesis has stated its commitment to becoming a 100% zero emission vehicle brand by 2030 and to pursuing carbon neutrality by 2035. Since its initial launch in Korea, Genesis has emerged in key global markets including North America, Europe, China, Australia, Russia, and the Middle East, establishing a strong relationship with customers around the world. For more information, please visit the official website at https://www.genesis.com.

¹ Eligible Galaxy smartphone with Android OS R and above

² Digital key feature will be available within this year.

³ Digital key is shared via Samsung Pass app. Those who do not have Samsung Pass app on the device should install Samsung Pass app prior to use. Key sharing is only available in eligible Galaxy smartphones with Android R and above. UWB is only available in Galaxy S21+ and Ultra, Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 and 3.

⁴ Digital key is shared via Samsung Pass app. Those who do not have Samsung Pass app on the device should install Samsung Pass app prior to use. Key sharing is only available in eligible Galaxy smartphones with Android R and above. UWB is only available in Galaxy S21+ and Ultra, Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 and 3.

Now, a next-generation wireless communications technology called ultra-wideband (UWB) has emerged and promises to permeate users’ lives and change the way the world connects.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with the Standards Research Team from the Advanced Communications Research Center at Samsung Research – engineers who have provided communications technology leadership and set the standard for UWB – to learn about the progress they have made so far and what they believe the future holds for UWB technology.

UWB – Opening Up a New World of Connectivity

Struggling to pass through a subway turnstile while carrying something, arriving home to find you’ve forgotten your key, or having to wait for your computer to start up before you can complete an urgent task – what if these inconveniences could all be reconciled with a single solution? Well, that is precisely the convenience that UWB technology stands to bring to our lives with its ability to utilize distance information between devices.

More wireless services than we realize connect us to peripheral devices and facilities. Some services use near field communication (NFC) technology, which exchanges wireless data over a short distance, but in most cases a mobile phone or card must be taken out of your pocket and touched to an NFC reader directly.

UWB, a broadband communications technology, removes the inconvenience of having to make physical contact by using very short-wavelength signals to measure precise distances as well as transmit data. UWB enables distance measurement that is precise down to the centimeter and has a smaller margin of error than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In addition, this technology can limit the distance measurement function to pre-authorized devices, minimizing the risk of malicious hacking attempts.

Principal Engineer Haeyoung Jun of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

Speaking about the benefits of UWB technology, Haeyoung Jun of the Standards Research Team remarked that, “UWB’s precise distance measurement and locating capabilities will bring a new paradigm to a variety of industries, including smart homes, cities, mobility, retail and buildings.”

Global Standardization Expertise Brings New Life To Forgotten Technology

UWB technology was developed decades ago, but it is only recently that it has begun garnering real attention within the industry. Though UWB has faced limitations in terms of data transmission, services that harness the technology’s distance measurement capabilities have now proliferated, bringing UWB and the unique features it offers into the spotlight. In this climate, Samsung Electronics has refined UWB technology by taking a close look at factors such as consumer experiences and service convergence.

During this process, the biggest hurdle that Samsung faced was the establishment of the necessary infrastructure. UWB is a technology that focuses on the connectivity between devices, meaning that close collaboration with industry stakeholders is key to its inception. The company concluded that global standardization would be a must for an open UWB ecosystem, however it proved far from easy to focus the industries’ attention on the ‘forgotten technology’ that was UWB. Still Samsung endured, confident as it was in the great potential that UWB offered. The company embarked on a protracted journey to establish a global organization for UWB standardization, utilizing expertise it had established over more than 20 years of work in the global standardization sphere.

Kangjin Yoon (left), YeonJu Lim (second from left), Haeyoung Jun (middle), Sungkyu Cho (second from right) and Sooyeon Jung (right) of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

The journey to realize global UWB standardization began in 2018. Although many corporations initially had doubts over the technological feasibility of UWB, Samsung Electronics was steadfast in its efforts to persuade them. Jun recalls, “We initially spent time outlining our plans for numerous global companies, sharing Samsung’s vision for the development of UWB technology. Finally, in January of 2019, in a small conference room at the CES exhibition hall in Las Vegas, the relevant industry leaders in devices, chipsets and service areas gathered and agreed to establish a global coalition for UWB standardization. Thus, the “FiRa” (Fine-Ranging) Consortium was born.”

With its contingent of strong supporters, the UWB global standardization movement proceeded to go from strength to strength. The Consortium, which began as a collection of just three companies, has now grown to include more than 50 global corporations from across a range of industries that deal in areas such as chipsets, door locks, smartphones and software solutions. Jun relates that, “With new members joining the Consortium all the time, we’ll continue to deliver a robust ecosystem where UWB is applied in a broad context.”

What It Means To Work at the Forefront of Standardization

Presently, the industry has reached a consensus that UWB is the most optimal technology for measuring the distance between devices. This is the result of the efforts of the Standards Research Team and related teams in persistently making the case for UWB technology. After successfully rolling out UWB technology on its devices (the new Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold2), Samsung Electronics has opened up a new era of wireless communication.

Staff Engineer Mingyu Lee of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

Now that standardization has been agreed upon by the necessary industrial players, those parties have a great responsibility to see that the process is seen through so that everyone may benefit. Mingyu Lee says, “We are working systematically and consulting experts to ensure fair competition and continued growth in the industry. As the process progresses, we are also gaining valuable experience by collaborating with colleagues from a broad range of disciplines.”

Jieun Keum (left), Gyubong Oh (second from left), Kook-heui Lee (middle), Mingyu Lee (second from right) and Sehee Han (right) of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

As they work towards pioneering a whole new market together, the Consortium members both cooperate and engage in spirited debate. Sehee Han explains, “I have actually had meetings with professionals who authored textbooks that I studied in university and debated with renowned open source code developers. As a result of these experiences I have realized that standardization is not about pursuing victory, but rather is a protracted journey towards reaching the consensuses that will allow us to create better technologies and products.”

Embarking Along the Untrodden Path and Showing the Way

In our everyday lives our queries are often met with open-ended answers, requiring us to strike out and find new ways forward. With this in mind, the Standards Research Team remains committed to blazing new trails into the unknown as they look to forge a pathway forward for UWB technology.

Principal Engineer Sehee Han of the Standards Research Team, Advanced Communications Research Center, Samsung Research

Jun says, “Having technological debates with top engineers from global corporations has been a great experience for the engineers of the Standards Research Team. Going forward, we will continue working to express our vision and develop solutions that are based on clear logic and grounded in the necessary values.”

As UWB technology takes its first steps, the team is staying focused on the positive changes the technology could deliver in the future. Han says, “We plan to broaden the scope of UWB standardization, implementing it first with digital key services and later with other services such as payment services, IoT device control solutions and location-based services.” He goes on to say, “Our work to broaden the UWB ecosystem will continue until devices and services that utilize UWB are much more portable and UWB technology becomes prominent.”

Samsung Electronics today announced that in partnership with Mobeewave, a pioneer in contactless mobile card payment acceptance, the company will deploy NFC-enabled contactless payment acceptance on mobile devices worldwide starting October 15, 2019.

Over the past several months, the two companies have worked together on a pilot in Canada, testing Samsung POS, a secure, mobile-based, Point Of Sale (POS) solution. Samsung POS enables merchants to accept debit and credit payments by tapping contactless cards, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay wallets onto Samsung NFC-enabled devices – without dongles, cables or other additional hardware.

The pilot generated over 10,000 downloads of Samsung POS, driven by transactions micro-merchants and small businesses in a variety of industries looking to grow their revenue by accepting card payments.

Merchants who want to accept mobile payments can easily download the Samsung POS app from the Galaxy Store or Google Play Store and go through a simple sign-up process within the app to register as a merchant.

Samsung also provides simple payment solutions for consumers through the Samsung Pay digital wallet, enabling them to pay with their device in Samsung Pay launched countries. Samsung POS now allows the company to provide a frictionless and cost-effective POS solution to businesses.

“We’re excited to launch this solution with our strategic partner, Mobeewave. Their patented contactless payment processing platform is the only mobile-based solution accepting Mastercard, Visa and Interac transactions in pilot in Canada. Mobeewave has passed numerous certification and security processes, to deliver a highly secure payment acceptance solution to merchants in a variety of verticals. Their proprietary technology allows us to launch this new solution on a global scale,” said Sunny Park, VP and Head of Service Operation Group, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics.

“Together with Samsung, we’re creating a brand-new market segment with an opportunity to offer the untapped micro and small business market with an easily accessible, highly secure, low-cost and easy-to-use mobile payment acceptance solution. There are an estimated 25 million micro-merchants and approximately 5.5 million small merchants worldwide^*, many of whom are unable to grow their business due to a lack of easily accessible and affordable payment acceptance services. We aim to drive incremental revenue for these businesses through our secure solution,” added Maxime de Nanclas, co-Founder, Mobeewave.

Samsung and Mobeewave will be deploying their solution first in Canada from October 15, 2019, and plan to expand globally starting in 2020.

^*Source: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/smefinance

About Mobeewave

Mobeewave is a global pioneer in contactless payment acceptance solutions. Its patented contactless payment processing platform, SDK and apps are the only mobile-based solution accepting Mastercard, Visa and Interac transaction in pilot in Canada. With offices across four continents, and over 70 employees, Mobeewave provides fintech innovation to banks, payment service providers, SaaS businesses, ISVs and marketplaces, as well as transit companies around the world. Find out more at www.mobeewave.com.

First Data, now part of Fiserv, a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology solutions, together with Visa, a global leader in digital payments, and Samsung Electronics, will showcase the company’s new Software Point of Sale (SoftPOS) solution during IFA 2019. IFA is Europe’s largest technology fair and the leading showcase for the global technology industry.

SoftPOS enables contactless payments of any amount via a smartphone or tablet, in the same way a traditional payment terminal functions but with no additional equipment. SoftPOS enables this functionality on an everyday mobile device using embedded near-field communication (NFC) functionality. The merchant’s phone will accept contactless transactions from existing contactless cards, other NFC-enabled mobile phones, or other NFC-enabled devices such as wearables and key fobs. A SoftPOS pilot will take place in Poland by the end of 2019. The pilot program will expand thereafter, initially in the EMEA and APAC regions.

In addition to international cooperation in implementing SoftPOS in the EMEA and APAC regions, each of the participating companies contribute technology to make SoftPOS one of the most advanced payment solutions in the world. Visa’s contactless capability enables quick and secure contactless transactions. Fiserv ensures swift and secure settlement of transactions via a simple and intuitive mobile app, and Samsung Electronics, in partnership with Samsung Knox, provides multi-layered security protocols in both hardware and software, as well as providing a vast array of the most innovative mobile devices.

“We are embracing a new era in payments – the mobility era. As contactless payments grow in popularity it is important that merchants are able to enable these payments on mobile devices. SoftPOS, has been designed to meet the current and future needs of consumers and entrepreneurs and will change the way people make daily payments, facilitating the convenient, quick, and secure processing of contactless transactions,” said John Gibbons, executive vice president and head of EMEA, Fiserv.

“This project could only launch in a country where contactless payments are highly popular, and Poland is among global leaders in this method of payment. Thanks to SoftPOS, a greater number of domestic points of sale will be able to accept contactless payments, providing consumers with quick, convenient, and secure contactless payments with a card, smartphone, or watch. With this technology we are able to rapidly expand access of card and digital payments across Poland, even for the micro business owner who is still in many places accepting only cash today,” said Katarzyna Zubrzycka, Head of Merchant Sales & Acquirer, Central Eastern Europe, Visa.

“With SoftPOS, we address our vision to become an innovator of new mobile experience, through advanced technology and products. Today we enable access to a new solution that makes entrepreneurs’ life much easier and more convenient. Thanks to defense-grade Samsung Knox Security Platform, Customers can be sure that their payments will be safe”  said HS Myung, VP, Global Mobile B2B Team, Head of EU/CIS, North/Latin America, Global Channel Sales, Samsung Electronics.

The SoftPOS demo showcase will be located in Hall B, City Cube 101 at Samsung Electronics booth.

IFA 2019 takes place at the Messe Berlin Exhibition Grounds from 6 – 11 September, presenting the latest products and innovations, and offering a comprehensive overview of the international market. It attracts international trade visitors from more than 100 countries. IFA is the main meeting place for key retailers, buyers, and experts from the industry and the media.

About Fiserv:

First Data is now part of Fiserv.

Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) aspires to move money and information in a way that moves the world. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover cloud-based point-of-sale solution. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500^® Index and the FORTUNE^® 500, and is among the FORTUNE Magazine World’s Most Admired Companies^®. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for more information and the latest company news.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network – enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, https://usa.visa.com/visaeverywhere/blog.html and @VisaNews.

With India burgeoning as the world’s fastest growing smartphone market and poised as a major hub for smartphone manufacturing, the country’s mobile industry has been experiencing an extraordinary shift in all aspects of the ecosystem that show new opportunities as it progresses.

More than 300 industry experts attended the forum that included global mobile manufacturers, OEM (original equipment manufacturer) companies, component partners and analysts, and were encouraged to collaborate on ways to tread “Together Toward Tomorrow” within India’s exciting mobile landscape.

As a global technology leader and total solutions provider, Samsung emphasized that its extensive experience in supporting worldwide brands and growing local presence will provide both deep insight and differentiated value to its partners.

“Innovation is our core strength that enables us to bring technologically advanced solutions,” said Haejin Park, Vice President and Head of Device Solutions in Southeast Asia, Samsung Electronics. “We strongly believe that no achievement big or small is possible without the collective effort of all stakeholders and Samsung is committed to being a long-term partner on the road to success.”

A comprehensive portfolio of Samsung’s component solutions were highlighted at SMSF that included;

• Exynos 7 Series mobile processors for a wide range of product segments such as Exynos 9610 for high-end smartphones with intelligent vision and image processing, and Exynos 7885, 7904 and 7905 for powerful performance in more affordable devices.
• Exynos Modem 5100 that fully complies with the most current 5G standard and supports multi-mode communication in a single-chip design.
• Internet of Things (IoT) solutions from the efficient and reliable Exynos i S111 for narrowband applications to ARTIK end-to-end solutions
• ISOCELL image sensors optimized for various device requirements, such as the latest ISOCELL Plus that delivers exceptionally bright and vivid picture qualities, and ISOCELL Plug & Play solution for easy development of pre-tuned camera modules.
• Near Field Communication (NFC) and Power Management IC (PMIC) for mobile devices and accessories
• LPDDR5-based mobile DRAM built on 10-nanometer (nm)-class process technology that will be powering UHD mobile devices as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications.

Samsung first held its components forum in 2015 that focused on its lineup of image sensors. Recognizing the opportunities in India’s mobile market since then, the company has been expanding the scope of its offerings showcased at the Samsung Mobile Solutions Forum each year.

MWCS is Asia’s leading tech industry event, taking place this year at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from June 27 – 29. This year over 100 countries are represented, with 550 companies attending. As the scale of MWCS is continually expanding, the event provides the perfect platform for Samsung to showcase its latest groundbreaking semiconductor technologies.

Attendees explore the Samsung Electronics experience zone at MWCS 2018

A Samsung promoter introduces the ISOCELL range to a large crowd of interested MWCS attendees

S.LSI has been participating in MWCS since last year, recognizing the growing importance of the Chinese presence in the global technology market.  Highlighted at MWCS this year are S.LSI’s ISOCELL, Exynos, NFC and smart speaker ranges, with a variety of solutions – including the new ‘ISOCELL Plus’ – on show for customers from all around the world including China.

The Samsung Electronics Exhibition Hall, filled with numerous local and global visitors

ISOCELL

The Samsung Electronics S.LSI ISOCELL booth at MWCS 2018. The ISOCELL products on display showcase the latest in high resolution photography solution

The ISOCELL series, first launched at MWCS 2017, is named after the patented Samsung ISOCELL technology which offers solutions for devices that require ultra-slim designs with high quality cameras.

Visitors learn more about the image quality comparison (1.12um 13Mp vs 1.0um 16Mp) of the ISOCELL Slim 3P9 at the Samsung Electronics booth

Among the cutting-edge developments to the ISOCELL series presented at MWCS is the ISOCELL Slim 3P9 with Plug and Play solution for rear camera modules. The Plug and Play solution simplifies the camera module development and optimization process by providing a turnkey module, made up of an ISOCELL sensor and other primary elements from preferred partners, pre-tuned for VCX-standard image quality. Manufacturers can simply plug the module into a device, saving up to four months of development time.

The ISOCELL Plus, a new pixel isolation technology from Samsung, replaces the metal grid formed over the photodiodes with an innovative new material minimizing optical loss and light reflection. The ISOCELL Bright, harnessing Tetrapixel* technology, merges four pixels into one so that users can achieve high quality images in all light conditions. The ISOCELL Fast utilizes Dual Pixel technology for faster, more accurate auto focus – even in low light conditions.

Exynos

The Exynos series, the system-on-a-chip processors featured in Samsung’s own line of mobile devices, presents the latest in performance, efficiency and connectivity options.

Visitors watch a demonstration of the Exynos 7 Series 9610 and its object detection capabilities at the Samsung Electronics booth

The Exynos Series 7 9610 is a S.LSI’s high-end application processor that was introduced earlier this year, with enhanced image processing capabilities to support DSLR-like camera functions with AI-powered image processing. It is also the industry’s first SoC to offer 480fps filming for super slow-motion videos. Thanks to its patented vision-image processing DSP(digital signal processor), users can harness its object detection feature for various AI-powered applications, picture gallery classification and device security.

A Samsung smartphone is used to model the Exynos 7 Series 9610 at the Samsung Electronics booth. The Exynos 7 Series 9610 includes a special DSP, vision-image processor, for object identification of 20 kinds of objects at up to 30fps

The Exynos Series 7 9610 is the first mobile SoC to offer 480fps filming for super slow-motion videos. The only limit to how long a user can record for, at FHD resolution, is the device’s storage capacity

Also introduced this year, the Exynos 9810 is a premium processor, with Samsung’s 3^rd-generation CPU core for enhanced AI and multimedia capabilities. The Exynos 7885 is a high-mid tier processor launched at the end of 2017, and the 7872 is the first to adopt a big CPU core in the volume-zone segment. Offering optimized performance and improved power efficiency, the Exynos processors provide for an incredible user experience.

Samsung promoters showcase the Galaxy S9+, powered by Exynos 9 9810 solution, to an attendee

NFC & Smart Speaker: The Latest in Contactless and Smart Home Technology

Visitors to MWCS can observe applied demonstrations of SLI’s new semiconductor technology; flagship Samsung mobile devices here showcase the NFC contactless power transfer (left) and NFC contactless POS payments technologies (right)

NFC Mobile POS and NFC Power Transfer exhibits the latest in contactless technology. With the Mobile POS, a mobile device can be used to replace a POS reader for virtual payments, and with the Power Transfer, a mobile phone can transfer power to mobile accessories utilizing NFC RF radiation.

The AKI range is a collection of children’s watches powered by Samsung’s Exynos Dual 7270 and NFC technologies

The smart speaker reference platform stand, part of the Samsung experience zone, waits ready for MWCS visitors to experiment with its features – including voice & face recognition as well as personal assistant capabilities

The smart speaker is a great personal assistant for answering questions, playing your favorite music and controlling connected home devices. Based on various Samsung ICs, including Exynos AP, RF, PMIC, image sensor and secure element. Samsung’s smart speaker reference platform helps manufacturers reduced development time and a faster time-to-market.

* Technological term of “Tetrapixel” was updated in July 2022

Samsung Electronics today announced the Galaxy A6 and A6+ that combine everyday convenience and stylish design with an advanced camera for  more personalized way to express yourself.

Featuring a powerful front and rear camera, a sleek premium design and Samsung’s signature Infinity Display, the new Galaxy A series is available in four stylish colors; Black, Gold, Blue and Lavender.¹

“At Samsung we are committed to providing our consumers with the very best smartphone experience, while meeting their practical needs,” said Junho Park, Vice President of Global Product Planning, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “The Galaxy A6 and A6+ draws on Samsung’s smartphone heritage to combine everyday convenience with an impressive camera that lets users capture, personalize and share moments, in a way that lets them uniquely express themselves.”

With the Galaxy A6 and A6+’s powerful front and rear camera, taking beautiful shots or selfies anytime, anywhere has never been easier. Featuring an adjustable front LED flash, Galaxy A6 and A6+ users can snap stylish selfies, from day to night. And with the rear camera’s low-aperture lenses, users can also capture sharp, clear photos in low light conditions, without sacrificing image quality no matter what time of day.

The Galaxy A6+’s Dual Camera² can even further enhance the pictures and moments that matter with Live Focus mode, meaning that users can control the depth of field and bokeh effect before or even after the shot is taken. Users can enrich their pictures with unique background blur patterns in a range of shapes including hearts, stars and more.

Users can experience a richer surround sound experience to enjoy movies, music and more with speakers supported by Dolby Atmos optimized audio³. The Galaxy A6 and A6+ provide a full range of sound from highs to lows, with outstanding clarity and true-to-life detail for a more powerful and immersive audio experience. Users can choose to turn on the Dolby Atmos effect to transform their audio with breathtaking moving sound that flows around them.

The Galaxy A6 and A6+ continue to set the standard for the ultimate uninterrupted viewing experience with Samsung’s signature Infinity Display that goes beyond the bezel, featuring an impressive 18.5:9 screen ratio⁴. Its sleek smooth curves and metal design have been engineered to offer improved durability and comfortable grip for maximum usability, without compromising on style.

Designed with practicality and everyday convenience in mind, the Galaxy A6 and A6+ integrates several popular features from Samsung’s flagship, including hassle-free security with Face Recognition and Fingerprint scanning for a quick and effortless way to unlock the device.

Both devices make multitasking fast and easy with App Pair, fully utilizing the Galaxy A6 and A6+’s large ergonomic screens by allowing users to pair two apps, halving time and doubling enjoyment. With the Always on Display⁵ users can get information at a glance without unlocking their phone, saving on time and battery life.

The Galaxy A6 and A6+ also support Bixby Vision, Home and Reminder. Samsung’s Bixby can assist users in completing a range of everyday tasks, making the Galaxy A6 and A6+ smarter and more helpful. With Samsung Pay⁶ included, users will always have their wallet to hand. Supporting Near Field Communication (NFC), the Galaxy A6 and A6+ can be used virtually anywhere you can tap your credit or debit card. Every transaction via Samsung Pay is secure, yet very simple

Available from early May starting in select European, Asian and Latin American markets, before rolling out globally to additional markets throughout South Korea, Africa and China.

Samsung Galaxy A6 and A6+ Product Specifications

¹ Color availability may vary depending on region and/or carrier services

² Feature only available on the Galaxy A6+

³ Dolby Atmos audio supported on headphones only

⁴ Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners on A6+

⁵ Feature available exclusively on the Galaxy A6+

⁶ Availability of Samsung Pay service may vary across participating payment networks, banks, retailers and merchants. Samsung pay is only compatible with selected cards and Samsung devices and some payment terminals may require software updates. Galaxy A6 and A6+ are only compatible with NFC.

⁷ Specification of RAM/ROM may vary by country

Samsung Electronics announced today that Samsung Pay is now available in Italy, marking its ongoing commitment to bringing payment innovation to users around the globe. With the addition of Italy, Samsung Pay now enables users in 21 markets to benefit from simple and secure payments almost anywhere¹.

Samsung’s commitment to transforming the mobile industry was recognized at the annual Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards) during Mobile World Congress 2018, which awarded Samsung Pay ‘Best Mobile Innovation for Payment’. The service was praised not only for being innovative, but also for bringing consumers the world’s first integrated rewards program²; each time users purchase with Samsung Pay, they can earn points to be exchanged for a variety of prizes.

“We strive to deliver the best experiences to our customers. The rapid growth of Samsung Pay has been made possible by Samsung’s commitment to an open model of collaboration around the world, resulting in over 1,700 partnerships, including payment providers Visa and Mastercard®,” said Yongje Kim, Executive Vice President of Service Business Office, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Its continued support for both MST and NFC payments has also enhanced adoption, enabling market access in countries that support either payment option.”

Samsung Pay is a simple and secure mobile payment service that is available almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your eligible payment card³. By combining Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and its proprietary Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology, Samsung Pay is the most widely accepted mobile payment solution on the market.

Samsung Pay operates with three levels of security: fingerprint or iris⁴ authentication, card tokenization and Samsung’s defense-grade mobile security platform, Samsung Knox. Additionally, Samsung Pay makes mobile payments easy – to launch, a user needs to swipe up on an eligible Samsung Galaxy smartphone, select the card, authenticate using a fingerprint, iris scanning or PIN and bring the phone near the point-of-sale terminal.

Starting today, Samsung Pay is available to users in Italy with compatible Samsung devices, including wearables like the Samsung Gear S3 and Gear Sport, and the new Galaxy S9 and S9+⁵. Samsung Pay works at almost all existing payment locations in Italy that accept credit or debit cards. It also expands the digital wallet experience by allowing customers to use membership cards and providing promotional coupons.

Aligned with Samsung’s approach of building tailored products and services customized to meet the needs of users in each market, several value-added features will be available exclusively to consumers in Italy. These include discounts up to 20% on popular brands, including Daybreak Hotel, EF Education, Leroy Merlin and Moleskine.

About Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay, a mobile payment service from Samsung Electronics, is simple, safe and available almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your card. Combining NFC (Near Field Communication) with Samsung’s proprietary MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technologies, Samsung Pay provides consumers a way to pay almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card at millions of merchant locations. Samsung continues to strategically expand its partnership ecosystem for Samsung Pay to provide greater flexibility, access, and choice for customers while enabling an easy and safe payment experience. Samsung Pay is compatible with select cards and Samsung devices, and leading wireless providers. Please visit www.samsung.com/pay to learn more.

¹ Available almost anywhere, subject to Samsung Pay’s compatibility with MST and/or NFC payment terminals. Card readers on certain payment terminals could require a software update to become fully compatible with Samsung Pay.

² Samsung Pay reward program is available in the U.S., Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brazil and Spain.

³Applicable card type varies depending upon issuer.

⁴ Iris authentication is available for Galaxy S9 and S9+, Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S8 and S8+

⁵ Other compatible devices include the Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Galaxy A8, Galaxy A5(2017), Galaxy A5(2016), and the Gear S3 and Gear Sport in Italy.

At Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2018, the largest display trade show in Europe, held last month, Samsung Electronics introduced a host of next generation SMART signage solutions poised to bring about the shopping experience of the future for consumers. Particularly, Samsung highlighted the potential application of its new technologies to the hypermarket, fashion and food and beverage (F&B) shopping sectors.

The Evolution of Digital Signage

The topic of the ‘omni-channel’ has circulated around the shopping-industry for many years. Omni-channel is a service that allows consumers to search and buy for products on various channels including online, offline and mobile. The one (or ‘omni’) channel combines characteristics of discrete distribution channels to offer a seamless experience of shopping on one marketplace, despite the inherent differences of on- and off-line shops. To support this shift, digital signage technology has also been rapidly evolving.

37-inch stretch signage helping to guide visitors to experience zones

One example, demonstrated at ISE 2018, is Samsung’s SMART signage ‘MagicInfo’ solution. Based on the data on purchasing behavior by time of the day, customer-tailored analysis as well as customer interaction in the store, the solution provides tailored advertisements and information on products for customers. For stopres, it will help enable more effective store display and inventory management based on analysis of products that each customer is interested in throughout the store. At its booth at ISE, Samsung showcased the potential application of the solution to three key shopping spaces, the hypermarket, fashion and F&B.

No-Hassle Searching for Better Deals in the Hypermarket

In current and future hypermarkets, use of Near Field Communication (NFC) tags will be central. NFC tags provide shopping information that customers need through a simple tag of their smartphones. For example, customers can check-in on the day’s sale items, specially priced products, and other price information. As customers move throughout a market, stores will utilize large signage LED screens to display ads. Combined with ‘MagicInfo’, sensors throughout the store will potentially be able to recognize customer faces, and provide tailored advertisements on the signage screens based on customer information. After finishing shopping, customers will be able to use a barcode reader and self-checkout function through a smart solution at the checkout counter.

Let’s picture today’s large stores. There are various flyers for items on sale, as well as other banners and ads everywhere. Soon, however, the MagicInfo solution and SMART signage may take their place. Because the solution adopts a central control method, store managers will not have to install and collect advertisements by themselves. Also, stores will be able to employ more effective, targeted advertisements displaying different products for different customers, based on individual shopping routes and preferences. Finally, maintaining advertisements will become far more efficient.

Fashion and Cosmetic Information at Your Fingertips

In the potential fashion or cosmetic store of the future, with Samsung SMART signage solutions and MagicInfo, a user could encounter a cosmetic display at store entrance. Once a camera on the display gathers information on which products the particular customer may be most interested in, the display will show relevant information about the products. The user will also receive various other information such as the main ingredients, price and make-up style of the cosmetic products.

In short, with MagicInfo, stores will be able to provide more tailored shopping experience for consumer, as well collection of more detailed preferences of customers, allowing more effective store management and monitoring.

Choosing Food, Smarter  

For the F&B space, MagicInfo offers the possibility of diverse smart functions. For example, at a restaurant or cafeteria, when customers select their food choice from the product display, the display screen will provide information about the food, including price and even nutritional information. Also, NFC tagging will give easy access to sales and special event information.

Limitless Possibilities

In the areas described above, it is clear that the scalability of Samsung’s MagicInfo and other smart signage solutions is limitless. And at ISE 2018, Samsung demonstrated that these technologies of our imaginations and the movies are far closer than we realize. In the near future, the shopping experience as we currently know could dramatically change. It will be exciting to see what’s next, with Samsung committed to making a better experience for consumers everywhere, the reality.

While wearable payments are just beginning to gain recognition among the masses, many industry experts believe that wearables will match smartphones as a strong payment modality within the next few years, thanks to their convenience in on-the-go situations.

Samsung has been at the forefront of this trend and has now made making mobile payments by wearable even more convenient through its inclusion, in select countries, of Samsung Pay on the Gear S3 smartwatch. Thanks to the Gear S3’s Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Field Communication (NFC) support, consumers may now utilize Samsung Pay, the company’s simple and secure service that can be used virtually anywhere, to make purchases without a smartphone.

Tapping Into Solutions

While making a Samsung Pay transaction is fast and easy, developing the technology to make it work was not.

To incorporate MST technology on a wearable for the first time, developers had to find a way to embed both MST and NFC antennas in the Gear S3’s small body, which proved to be a challenge on early prototypes. Furthermore, developers also had to ensure that the smartwatch’s battery was powerful enough to drive the service. After much trial and error, they finally found the optimal design.

In regards to usability, the hardware team wanted to ensure that Samsung Pay could be used intuitively on the Gear S3. But the sheer number of existing POS styles, combined with fact that each user has a different way of positioning the smartwatch on the terminal, made arranging the internal hardware components a big challenge.

After spending countless hours collecting data at various shops, the team was eventually able to create a design that enabled the Gear S3 to connect to the terminal regardless of the angle in which the user positions the smartwatch. Nevertheless, some sales clerks are still surprised to see the technology in use.

“I was recently purchasing a soft drink at LAX,” Shankar Narayan, Senior Manager, Samsung Electronics’ Payment Biz Group, begins his story. “After the cashier told me the price, I activated Samsung Pay on my Gear S3 and tapped it on the credit card terminal.”

“‘What are you doing!?’ the cashier enquired surprisingly. By the time he finished his sentence, the receipt was already printing.”

Simple and Easy to Use

To start using the service, users must first download Samsung Pay, which is accessible via the Gear Manager app, onto their Gear S3 and set up the companion app on their mobile device. Once a user registers their cards on their Gear S3, they will no longer require their smartphone to make payments. The user simply needs to long press the side button, enter their PIN, select the card they wish to use and tap the device on any point-of-sale (POS) terminal.

“Samsung Pay is known for being easy to use on a smartphone because of its swipe feature,” notes Jungyouel Bang, Senior Engineer, Samsung Electronics’ Wearable H/W R&D Group. “We wanted to replicate that simplicity on the Gear S3, so we added a button specifically for the pay service.”

Another benefit of Samsung Pay on the Gear S3 is that the service is compatible not only with Samsung devices, but other Android-running smartphones as well*.

Safe and Secure

One of the biggest concerns consumers have when it comes to making mobile payments is security. Just like Samsung Pay on mobile devices, Samsung Pay on Gear S3 uses the same trusted Samsung Knox security to protect personal payment information.

To enhance usability and convenience, developers made it so that a user only has to enter their PIN once to activate Samsung Pay. However, the service is locked when sensors embedded in the Gear S3 detect that the device has been removed from the wrist. As a result, the user must reenter their PIN each time the smartwatch is removed. This ensures that a user’s card information is protected in case the device is lost. Furthermore, Samsung Pay information can easily be deleted via the Find My Mobile website.

Additionally, Samsung Pay works on the Gear S3 in the same way it works on a smartphone—each service transaction uses an encrypted digital token to replace a user’s payment information. For added security, a transaction can only be made by long pressing the dedicated button on the side of the Gear S3. Because a transaction cannot be simulated by software alone, digital pickpockets cannot hack one’s information by way of RFID skimming.

“Nowadays, people are increasingly concerned about security, especially when it comes to mobile payments,” explains Sochang Sohn, Senior Engineer of Samsung Electronics’ Tizen R&D Team. “But when we describe our security architecture to someone who asks about it, their concerns are generally alleviated pretty quickly.”

Going Forward

As noted by Youngjin Choi, Senior Engineer, Samsung Electronics’ Payment Service Group, Samsung remains committed to developing intuitive innovations like the Gear S3 and Samsung Pay, which have the potential to add new facets of convenience to users’ daily lives.

“Samsung Pay on the Gear S3 is ideal for those small, on-the-go payments, when it’s inconvenient to carry a phone or wallet, as a smartwatch is something you can wear every day,” says Choi. “We feel that this is what sets our service apart, and we’re optimistic about its growing adoption and acceptance in the years ahead.”

* Compatible with select devices using Android 4.4 and later in select markets.

And what an incredible year it’s been.

We’ve transformed an idea into the most widely accepted mobile payment service globally. We now have more than four million membership cards registered in the United States and South Korea, we expanded our global partner ecosystem and, soon, we’ll be bringing several exciting new features to our customers in the U.S.

While there are many successes to celebrate, the mobile payment industry continues to move forward. Here at Samsung, we’re committed to driving the evolution  by looking at more than just mobile payments.

Combining Technology with a Fundamental Challenge

Samsung Pay was born from the need to solve a simple problem: Payments are too complex. Between cash, credit and debit cards, loyalty cards, gift cards, coupons and receipts, there are too many things to squeeze into our wallets.

At the same time, smartphones have changed the way we live, work and interact with one another. We saw an opportunity to upgrade the wallet as we have traditionally known it by combining it with advanced technology solutions.

From Mind to Market – Turning Ideas Into Reality

Our mission for Samsung Pay goes beyond simply developing technology – we’re driven to create a holistic digital wallet experience. To do this, we need to change the way people think about making purchases.

It’s a hard task but I believe we’re on the right track. As we move forward, we’ll continue to improve our solution and bring more benefits to users, including new value-added services from our expanding partner ecosystem.

New Samsung Pay Features…

Value-added services are critical to making sure we’re upgrading the wallet and making users’ lives more convenient. With this, we’re incredibly excited to announce new features for our U.S. customers.

Knowing that our customers are already enjoying our membership, gift and loyalty cards and more, we are launching a location-based Deals feature. With this new feature, Samsung Pay users will be able to locate discounts and coupons for nearby stores and restaurants within the app and redeem these deals instantly. What I love about this feature is that it’s available to all Samsung Pay users across the country. With the introduction of Deals, we are refreshing the look of the app by making enhancements to the user experience and design.

We’re embarking on a global partnership with Mastercard to offer a seamless online payment and express checkout solution through its digital payment service Masterpass. With this partnership, Samsung Pay will simplify the online transaction experience in the U.S. by taking away the need for users to fill out tedious online checkout forms, remember long passwords or fumble for their wallets.

Soon, users will be able to make in-app payments by choosing Samsung Pay as their payment option when they shop on select merchant apps. It’s really simple and easy to use. All you have to do is select Samsung Pay during checkout and choose from the cards on file to make an in-app payment. We already have some fantastic partners for our U.S. customers to try out this feature, including Velocity,  Raise, Fancy, Hello Vino, Wish, and Touch of Modern, and we will continue to add additional partners in the future.

All you have to do is select Samsung Pay during checkout and choose from the cards on file to make an in-app payment. We already have some fantastic partners for our U.S. customers to try out this feature, including Velocity, Raise, Fancy, Hello Vino, Wish and Touch of Modern, and we will continue to add additional partners in the future.

…And New Ways to Make Use of Them

To achieve our vision for mobile payments, we must constantly improve our solution to meet the evolving needs of our users. That’s why we’re expanding Samsung Pay onto other devices, including the Samsung Gear S3 with both NFC and MST technologies.

Bringing Samsung Pay to wearable devices opens mobile payments up to more people, while simultaneously making it more convenient to make payments.

These features bring us closer than ever to a true digital wallet, and I hope that you agree after trying them out!

Global Expansion and Building Upon our Partnership Ecosystem

Something we always look toward at Samsung is bringing Samsung Pay to as many users as we can worldwide.

In line with this, I’m thrilled to share that by the end of 2016, we will expand the service to three new markets: Malaysia, Thailand and Russia. This will bring Samsung Pay to 10 countries by the end of the year and expansion will only continue in the years to come.

Our growing partnership ecosystem provides an increasingly ubiquitous payment experience. With both Capital One and USAA on board in the United States, we now support from more than 500 banks and credit unions, representing over 85 percent of the U.S. debit and credit card market.

A Wonderful, Exciting Year

We have great ambitions for Samsung Pay, as a tool and a solution that shapes our future mindsets and how we make every day transactions.

So, to our customers and partners around the world, thank you for joining us on this journey. We’re excited for what’s to come.

Samsung Pay will be available starting today on compatible Samsung smartphones including the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, with specific availability varying by local operator².

“Today’s launch of Samsung Pay offers more than a secure and convenient way for Samsung smartphone owners to pay,” said Prasad Gokhale, Vice President, Mobile Division, Samsung Australia. “It’s the next development for Australians who use their smartphone as the central device to live, organise and enjoy their lives.

“Australia is a market of early technology adopters and by providing a platform open to all partners, ranging from government to financial institutions and retailers, while upholding the highest standards of security and data privacy, Samsung is fueling the transition to a truly digital wallet.”

The arrival of Samsung Pay in Australia follows successful launches in South Korea, the United States, China and Spain.

“In the first six months of launching in Korea and the U.S., Samsung Pay has surpassed more than 5 million registered users and today has processed more than US$1billion of transactions in South Korea alone,” said Elle Kim, Global Vice President, Samsung Pay, Mobile Communications Business. “This success indicates a tremendous opportunity in Australia, a market where contactless payments are already in strong demand.”

Strong Partnerships to Benefit Consumers and Businesses

At launch, Samsung Pay partners in Australia will be American Express and Citibank.

Citibank credit card cardholders as well as American Express Issued Card Members will be able to use Samsung Pay, with a compatible Samsung smartphone, at participating retailers.

Vice President Payment Consulting Group, American Express JAPA, Nick Alexander, said: “Samsung Pay provides our American Express Issued Card Members another way to pay using the latest in smartphone payment technology, and speeds up the payment process for merchants. American Express is not only striving to be where our customers are, but are also looking for more ways to integrate rewards and loyalty into the payment experience, so that when our customers use their phones to pay, they are earning rewards as well.”

Citi Global Consumer Bank, Australia, Managing Director of Cards and Consumer Lending, Alan Machet said: “The strong partnership between Citibank and Samsung Pay will see both parties collaborate to bring services to our globally-minded customers. Citi credit card customers can now simply and securely use Samsung mobile phones to tap and pay for purchases in Australia and overseas.”

“Samsung Pay is strategically expanding its partnership ecosystem to provide greater flexibility, access and choice for our customers,” said Kim.

“Samsung Pay adopts an open engagement model, designed to support payment and non-payment cards from multiple providers. By doing this, Samsung can operate seamlessly with a wide range of partners, systems and payment channels,” Kim added.

More Than Money

Outside of payments, Samsung Pay has the potential to be integrated with an array of partners, ranging from major retailers to government departments and ticketing companies.

Partner integration is even simpler with Samsung Pay because the technology utilizes Near Field Communication (NFC) and Samsung’s proprietary technology called Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST), making it the only payment solution with wider acceptance.

“The MST technology enables Samsung Pay to support partners that use a traditional magnetic stripe, commonly found on loyalty cards, gift cards and transit cards, both in Australia and across the globe,” Kim said.

“It’s our goal to one day replace wallets, by making every card accessible on Samsung smartphones. In countries like Australia, where customers are already using their smartphones to make payments, our customers will certainly value the benefits of having all their cards in one place and Samsung Pay will provide that convenience to them,” Kim concluded.

Safe and Secure

Samsung Pay includes three levels of security to help enable secure payments – fingerprint authentication, tokenisation and Samsung KNOX.

Each transaction uses an encrypted digital token to replace a user’s personal payment information and payments can only be authorised with an approved fingerprint or PIN. Samsung’s industry-leading KNOX security platform also monitors malicious software and activities on a user’s device for added security and protection.

Easy-to-Use Application

To make a payment on Samsung Pay, simply swipe up, choose the desired payment card, authenticate the transaction with the fingerprint sensor and tap the device on the point of sale terminal.

Samsung Pay can be used in an offline mode, should customers be located in areas without internet connectivity³.

1 Availability almost anywhere is based on compatibility of Samsung Pay on MST and/or NFC payment terminals, with some supported for use only after software upgrades. Samsung Pay will be available soon for Galaxy S6 and S6 edge on the Telstra network. Samsung Pay is exclusive to selected Samsung Galaxy smartphones only, and available across all participating payment networks, banks, and merchants. Availability may vary, please check for updates.

2 Samsung Pay is available to these smartphones with the Marshmallow software update. Availability of this update to specific devices is dependent on individual operators. Samsung Pay will be available soon for Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy Note 5 on the Telstra network.  Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge do not support MST.

3 Internet access is required occasionally to download new tokens (as defined by card schemes). Limits to offline transactions are dependent on each card scheme.

“Our goal with Samsung Pay is to drive and lead innovation in mobile commerce, giving consumers a safer, smarter and better mobile wallet,” said Victor Kim, Global Director, Samsung Pay. “Samsung operates an open model of partnership and collaboration to deliver the best possible customer experience. With Samsung Pay, we’re confident that we’re providing Spanish customers with the mobile payments service that they’re looking for.”

“We are proud that Spain is the first European market to introduce Samsung Pay, an innovative new service that we believe will mark a turning point both in Spaniards’ payments behaviour and the evolution of the payments market as a whole,” commented Celestino García, Corporate Vice President, Samsung Spain. “The opportunity for Samsung Pay in Spain is significant, due to the high smartphone penetration rate and the digitalisation of the banking sector. Moreover, according to recent research[1] commissioned by Samsung, nearly six in 10 Spaniards are interested in incorporating a secure, simple and widely accepted payments service like Samsung Pay into their lives.”

Samsung Pay offers a number of benefits:

• SECURE. Samsung Pay uses three different levels to guarantee payment security: fingerprint identification; tokenization to encrypt card credentials; and Samsung KNOX, Samsung’s defense-grade mobile security platform.

• SIMPLE. To make a payment with Samsung Pay, users simply swipe their finger up the screen on a smartphone that is compatible with the service, scan their fingerprint and pay.

• ALMOST ANYWHERE. Samsung Pay enables consumers to pay in any location where purchases can be made using a contactless credit or debit card.

NFC-enabled, Samsung Pay-ready devices include the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge, S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+, with specific availability varying by local operator. The Galaxy A5 2016 will also support Samsung Pay in the coming weeks.

Samsung Pay is the Mobile Payments Service Spaniards Have Been Waiting for

New research conducted by Ipsos[2] for Samsung Spain found that half of Spaniards aged between 35 and 65 carry more than two debit or credit cards in their wallets. According to the survey:

• 64 percent of consumers use credit or debit cards for all or most of their purchases;
• This figure rises to 71 percent among people aged between 35 and 44; and
• In order to enjoy even greater convenience and efficiency when shopping, 58 percent of Spaniards would like to use a secure, simple and widely accepted mobile payments solution.

Samsung Pay meets these requirements, offering three layers of security, ease-of-use and the option to pay at any location with a contactless point-of-sale (POS) terminal. Using the service does not incur an additional cost for users or businesses, as they simply need an NFC-compatible POS terminal. Users can also add up to 10 cards to the Samsung Pay application, without incurring additional charges from their banks.

With regards to mobile security, 90 percent of respondents surveyed were concerned about losing their device and someone accessing their card data. In order to deliver maximum security, Samsung Pay includes fingerprint identification, which guarantees that if your mobile phone is lost or stolen, no one will be able to access your payments information.

Extensive Ecosystem

Samsung Pay already has a strong alliance of partners and supports eligible credit and debit cards from more than 200 major global and regional banks. In addition, Samsung Pay is compatible with payments networks, including American Express, China UnionPay, MasterCard, Visa Inc. and China’s leading third-party payments platform, Alipay.

The service is already available for customers of CaixaBank and imaginBank, which will be the first in Spain and Europe to benefit from Samsung Pay.  After the launch of the service beginning today, users can download their CaixaBank and imaginBank debit or credit cards on their smartphones in order to make payments.

Samsung Pay will be available for Abanca and Banco Sabadell customers soon.

Samsung Pay is compatible with all stores that already have contactless terminals and the company is working closely with leading businesses from retail, food and service stations and parking services sectors to create value-added services for their customers. This includes well-known brands like Cepsa, Cervecería La Sureña, Domino’s Pizza,  El Corte Inglés, Fridays, Ginos, Grupo DIA, MediaMarkt, Mercadona, Phone House, Repsol, Rodilla, Saba, Starbucks, The Good Burger, The Wok, VIPS, VIPSmart, 100 Montaditos, with more to follow in due course.

In particular, El Corte Inglés will become the first issuer of private cards in Spain to offer its customers the opportunity to join and pay via Samsung Pay.

Samsung collaborates as a technology partner with the Museo Nacional del Prado’s Sponsorship Program and customers will also be able to use Samsung Pay at this renowned cultural institution.

Additionally, Samsung has organized an event with the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry to involve SMEs and smaller retailers in the local body’s new payment methods initiatives. On May 18, an Interact Session was held in Madrid, where Samsung illustrated the use cases and benefits of Samsung Pay, as well as the customer loyalty and retention opportunities that the platform offers.

“The Spanish market’s progressive approach to digital payments makes it a logical launch market for Samsung Pay,” added Nathalie Oestmann, Director, Samsung Pay Europe. “We believe that the comprehensive support from telecom service providers; networks and processors; and banks and merchants, will help to accelerate mobile payments adoption across Spain.”

[1] The survey on mobile payments in Spain was conducted online between 22 and 27 January 2016, among a nationally representative, gender-equal sample of 1,000 respondents aged between 18 and 65.

[2] The survey on mobile payments in Spain was conducted online between 22 and 27 January 2016, among a nationally representative, gender-equal sample of 1,000 respondents aged between 18 and 65.

Samsung Electronics announced today that Samsung Pay, the most widely accepted mobile payment system, will soon support eligible credit and debit cards from TD Bank and Regions Bank, in addition to 60 Visa and MasterCard banks and credit unions launched since early March 2016.

With the addition of these banks, Samsung Pay continues to grow momentum in the United States—supporting eligible credit and debit cards from more than 130 banks and credit unions, representing over 75% of the US credit and debit card market.

Samsung Pay supports all major payment networks and many of the country’s major banks, and it continues to expand its partnership ecosystem. Click here for the full list of financial partners that support Samsung Pay.

• SIMPLE: To make a payment on Samsung Pay, users can simply swipe up, scan their fingerprint and pay.
• SAFE: Samsung Pay uses tokenization, Samsung KNOX, and fingerprint authentication to provide secure payments. And, as terminals are upgraded to EMV, that security is leveraged, too.
• ALMOST ANYWHERE: Samsung Pay is compatible with the majority of existing and new terminals, including most magnetic stripe, EMV and NFC terminals^*. That means Samsung Pay works at more places than any other mobile payment service.

Samsung Electronics announced Samsung Pay U.S. consumer usage data, new features, and partnerships at Money 20/20 in Las Vegas, adding more momentum to the most accepted mobile payment system.

Just four weeks after its launch in the U.S., Samsung Pay is proving its biggest advantage is broad acceptance enabled by Samsung’s MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) in combination with NFC. MST is the patented technology built into the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 that transmits tokenized card data to the magnetic card readers of EMV terminals and magnetic stripe terminals. Of U.S. consumers who have paid with Samsung Pay, there is strong indication of repeat usage with an average of eight transactions per user. Data also show that three out of four Samsung Pay transactions were made via MST, validating that combining MST and NFC makes Samsung Pay the most accepted mobile payment system.

“After one month, the numbers say it all: Consumers who have used Samsung Pay are using it repeatedly because it works almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card,” said Thomas Ko, Vive President and Global Co-general Manager of Samsung Pay. “We’re thrilled to introduce new partners that will build on our early success, and move us even closer to a world in which your mobile phone is a true mobile wallet.”

Samsung is expanding the partnership ecosystem for Samsung Pay, announcing support in the coming months for cards issued by Chase, PNC Bank, TD Bank, SunTrust, Fifth Third Bank, Key Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, Virginia Credit Union, Associated Bank, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union and People’s United Bank. Starting next year, Samsung Pay will work with Discover.

Samsung Pay is also deepening relationships between consumers and retailers—enabling shoppers to use gift cards on their phones at their favorite stores, through a partnership with Blackhawk Network that includes dozens of top retailers in categories like grocery, fashion, entertainment and dining. By the end of this year, consumers will be able to load and use these gift cards.

Samsung is now working with the four payment networks: American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa, major banks including Bank of America, Chase, Citi, U.S. Bank, and key financial partners including Blackhawk Network, First Data, Synchrony Financial, TSYS, and Vantiv to extend Samsung Pay to the U.S.

The overwhelmingly positive initial response to Samsung Pay underscores its revolutionary appeal to consumers.

• SIMPLE: To make a payment on Samsung Pay, users can simply swipe up, scan their fingerprint and pay.

• SAFE: Samsung Pay uses tokenization, Samsung KNOX, and fingerprint authentication to provide secure payments. And, as terminals are upgraded to EMV, that security is leveraged too.

• ALMOST ANYWHERE: Samsung Pay is compatible with most existing and new terminals, including most magnetic stripe, EMV and NFC terminals^*. That means Samsung Pay works at more places than any other mobile payment service.

How many credit cards do you carry in your wallet? How often do you use each of them? Commerce has come a long way and the forms of “money” have evolved. The credit card has played an important role for people to shop more convenience and safer over recent years, however, it can be replaced to new payment service in the near future. Mobile payment is a burgeoning phenomenon in the world of retail and commerce.

At the moment, mobile payment systems fall into two categories. One method is based on near field communication (NFC) technology. The other relies on magnetic secure transmission (MST) technology, which sends the payment card information to a magnetic card reader wirelessly, using magnetic signals.

NFC is the most widely used payment system, however, it has a critical shortcoming—fewer than 3 percent of retail shops in the world have the NFC readers needed to support it. Despite the technology applying NFC for payment systems being a decade old, retailers have been slow to purchase and install NFC readers, even in Europe, where NFC cards and IC cards are more widely available. Without a doubt, its acceptance will spread, but the pace appears to be somewhat slow.

On the other hand, most retail shops already have magnetic card readers, which are compatible with MST technology. So a mobile payment system that supports both NFC and MST would have the widest level of acceptance—and the only such service is Samsung Pay.

Technology always takes time to be accepted. For example, HD TVs have been around for more than a decade, but there are still a lot of people who watch in standard resolution. As an engineer, I believe we need to follow the lead of our customers. We cannot force people to accept new technologies before they’re ready. Instead, we need to help ease that change naturally.

The Key Is Convenience

Nowadays, we can find WiFi everywhere. But how many people understand how Wi-Fi works, or know the various standards? Most do not. What people care about is being able to access their email easily and safely. The important thing for consumers is convenience.

Recently, one company released an application that shows users where they can use mobile payment services. In my opinion, that gets things totally backward it is a complete flop. People use mobile payment services where they shop; they do not go shopping to where they can use mobile payment services. Convenience drives consumer acceptance, not the technology.

With this philosophy in mind from the beginning, Samsung Electronics applied MST technology to mobile payments together with NFC. I think debating which technology is better, NFC or MST, is pointless. What is essential is making mobile payment convenient for consumers, so they can pay for things without thinking about the technology. If consumers cannot use a mobile payment service in most shops, they will not use it nor accept it. Embracing a technology means being able to use it easily, anytime, anywhere.

I have not used a plastic credit card in over a month. It’s so easy to pay for anything wherever I go, I don’t even worry about my credit cards anymore. I know I do not need them. Even if something did go wrong, finding a solution would just lead to better service, which is essential for mobile payments being accepted.

Comparing MST and NFC Today

The global average NFC penetration rate stands at 15 percent. Here is Korea, it is less than 2 percent. But because MST has a success rate of more than 80 percent, it is essential for today’s consumers.

In the years to come, the number of transactions using NFC will grow steadily, but MST is going to continue to be significant in retail. Even after the percentage of shops using only MST drops to a small number, we cannot just ignore them. The right approach is to support both systems.

Having conducted thousands of tests around the world, I am sure that Samsung Pay will be a success. It is a product that can change the market and provides real benefits to users. No, it isn’t perfect, but it works so often that I haven’t been tempted to return to my credit cards. Most people have the same thinking—they are not going to use mobile payments just for the novelty, but only if they are convenient.

Information Safe and Secure Through Tokenization

To ensure people’s security and privacy, mobile payments on Samsung Pay do not pass along actual credit card information. Instead, they use something called “tokenization.” Using a token means people’s information is encrypted using our propriety technology and kept secure. Even if a transaction was intercepted, all the personal information would be protected.

Another benefit of using tokens is that it allows us to use the existing payment infrastructure that was developed for plastic credit cards. A token service provider (TSP) server performs the exchange between a token and the actual credit card number, so credit card issuers and merchants can just use their existing systems.

Samsung Pay Will Transform the Future of Mobile Payments

Mobile payments can handle the functions of physical credit cards, but as they grow and develop, many predict they will bring deeper changes to banking, money and society. Mobile payments are more flexible than cards and can do more. In Korea, Samsung Pay enables you to withdraw cash from ATMs, allowing the service to also replace debit cards. They are always “on” and can also interact with the phone, offering credit card issuers new opportunities to connect with users and create additional services.

This is the start of a real paradigm shift—but it all depends on people embracing mobile payment services. That is why I want to emphasize that convenience and ubiquity are at the core of technological acceptance. The arrival of new payment services is not far off and I believe that Samsung Pay will play a leading role in these exciting changes. And the root of all this is Samsung’s dedication to placing the needs of consumers first, so change can come naturally and conveniently.

Samsung is helping people around the world enjoy seamless, intuitive lifestyles with innovative printing technology. And through these technologies, Samsung is leading the mobile printing market.

Last year, 300 Samsung multifunction copiers armed with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology were installed at the Doha International Airport in Qatar. Travelers can use these NFC printers to print tickets or other travel documents. Users found this service relieved them from the pain of searching for a wireless network at the crowded airport.

Korean International School is also using Samsung’s cutting-edge cloud printing solution to enable students and teachers to easily print documents virtually anywhere, with any device.

Mobile Printing Made Easier

When we combine NFC technology with printing, the result is a simpler mobile printing solution. As long as your mobile is near your printer, you have the ability to print, even without a computer. Intelligent technology makes it easy-to-use, and simplicity is its biggest benefit.

Mobile printing with NFC technology works in a very straightforward way. To activate it, tap the NFC icon on your device, place your phone near a printer for NFC tagging, select the document or image, then print. This works with any NFC-enabled printer, not just your own. Images can also be uploaded to cloud storage by using an NFC-enabled scanner.

Leading the Industry

After the release of smart devices in 2010, Samsung introduced a variety of innovative mobile printing solutions to the market. In 2013, it launched the world’s first NFC-enabled color laser printer, which created strong momentum for Samsung to solidify its market leadership in the mobile printing world. Samsung is now using the NFC mobile printing function for almost every printing solution.

Samsung launched Samsung Cloud Print Public on May, 2015. Because business is often conducted while on-the-go, users can print securely wherever, whenever from their mobile devices with Samsung Cloud Print.

These versatile solutions provide users with remote printing from a phone, tablet or PC, as well as file sharing between phones and sending documents by fax from a phone, all performed simply and seamlessly. After unveiling Samsung Cloud Print, the company opened new business opportunities within various verticals, providing them with invaluable printing solutions.

The Future of Mobile Printing

Samsung is strengthening its mobile printing leadership by partnering with other innovative firms who have technological expertise. Last year, Samsung acquired PrinterOn, a pioneer in mobile cloud printing solutions, which reinforced Samsung’s mobile ecosystem and delivers enhanced solutions. Samsung is currently working with a mobile network operator in Europe to develop a cloud printing and charging solution based on the Samsung Cloud Print platform.

The mobile and cloud printing solution boasts speed, image quality and convenience. However, this is not the end of story. Multifunction printers will soon double as an enterprise security solution.

Early next year, the NFC-Pro (tentatively) will be launched. It supports simple, tag-based user identification and thereby can serve as a security solution. Office workers usually scan their employee cards to enter businesses, but this requires unnecessary expenses of installing card readers. The NFC-Pro enables a printer to identify employees entering via smartphones.

Samsung continues to develop the most convenient and easiest mobile printing solutions, which will offer the greatest value to every mobile device user.

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Samsung’s Printing Services Evolve with the Needs of Today’s Mobile Workforce