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Verizon Blocks Samsung Pay
Retail

Not All Carriers Ready To Support Samsung Pay

August 24, 2015

Verizon Blocks Samsung Pay

With the official launch of Samsung’s mobile payment service just over a month away, not all US carriers are onboard. Samsung has revealed that Verizon, the country’s largest wireless provider, has yet to announce support for Samsung Pay. For Verizon’s part, all the company will say is that they are “in the process of evaluating” the service. Yes, there is still ample time for Verizon to join hands with Samsung (and the other US wireless carriers) in offering the mobile payment method, but given Verizon’s pledge to support Android Pay immediately after it was announced, I am skeptical. Verizon has a history of blocking proprietary features that only a few handsets would benefit from; the company blocked Google Wallet for years. It will be interesting to see if Samsung might be pushed to support Android Pay (in the US at least) if Verizon doesn’t allow the handset maker’s proprietary payment system.

The news of Verizon blocking a service to users on its network may make you wonder how that is possible. Anytime there is a software update to a mobile device, the carrier needs to test and approve it before it launches. Whether an Android or iOS device,  

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by Doug Parker
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Retail

CurrentC Exclusivity Expires As Rite Aid Accepts Apple Pay

August 12, 2015

Rite Aid CurrentC Apple Pay

Things seem to continue to look bleak for CurrentC. We have covered the technology in the past and have made no secret that we do not understand how it is a viable alternative to payment solutions such as Apple Pay and Android Pay. As a refresher, the CurrentC system was designed by a consortium of merchants through a joint venture called MCX, formed in 2012. After significant delays, the, now antiquated, QR based service is finally beginning public trials in the coming weeks. This sounds like it could be good news, right, better late than never? Problem is, the 3 year exclusivity contract that MCX required for CurrentC is set to expire this week; that’s right, the exclusivity contract is ending before CurrentC has even begun public testing. In fact, while MCX expects to soft launch the payment system in Columbus, OH in the coming weeks, it doesn’t expect a roll out of the technology nationwide until 2016.

It is therefore not surprising that we now know who the first MCX member planning to accept Apple Pay is (and later Android Pay and Samsung Pay): Rite Aid. The company made headlines last Fall when both it and CVS turned off the ability to accept Apple Pay hours after the service’s launch. After making a point to honor the MCX exclusivity, it is interesting that Rite Aid is now leading that charge of MCX members to accept NFC based mobile payments. It was announced earlier this year that fellow members Best Buy will also begin accepting Apple Pay, but not until later this fall. None of this can be surprising to anyone who has been watching the mobile payment space; there was nothing consumer friendly about CurrentC and even if it launched earlier this year, as promised, it still would have been too late to market. It will be interesting to see what some of the other major merchants who are part of MCX do over the coming months. These include 7-Eleven, CVS, Hy-Vee, Lowe’s, Michaels, Publix, Dunkin’ Donuts, Shell, Sunoco, and Walmart.

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by Doug Parker
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Retail

Barclays Launches Wearable Contactless Payments

July 17, 2015

Barclays bPay mobile contactless payment launches

When Apple announced that their mobile payment service was launching in the UK this month, Barclays was noticeably absent from the list of banks supporting the service. Word was the UK’s second largest bank was focused on launching their own revival mobile payment service. Today, the rumors proved true, as Barclays launched their bPay service. In order to use bPay you must purchase one of three “wearable” devices: a very chunky £25 bracelet, a £20 keychain fob, or a £15 sticker. Much like a Starbucks mobile card or Google Wallet, your Barclays device is connected to a prepaid bPay account; as the funds get used, you need to add more value to the account. The good news is that you do not have to be a Barclays account holder to use the service, any UK-registered Visa or MasterCard can be used to add funds (sorry Amex users). bPay will be accepted anywhere contactless payments are available (as will Apple’s and Google’s payment services). Also, similar to Apple Pay, there will be an initial £20 per transaction limit that will be reevaluated over time.

Barclays move into the mobile, contactless payment space is bold and demonstrates an understanding of the growing importance of the technology. I believe requiring users to purchase a device to use the service will be a huge barrier to entry, as will the restricted prepaid aspect of the service. The wristband is so big, expensive, and such a uni-tasker, I have a hard time believing anyone would opt for it, when a smartwatch can do mobile payments and so much more. It is also important to note that unlike Apple Pay or Google’s upcoming Android Pay, there is no security feature on the bPay devices. If your sticker falls off, anyone can pick it up and use the value remaining on it. It will be interesting to see what the uptake of bPay is like, especially since Barclays recently announced that it will eventually support Apple Pay. And, come on UK, the £20 limit for mobile payments is ridiculous!

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by Doug Parker
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Is CurrentC Against The Ropes - Featured
Retail

Is CurrentC Against The Ropes Before It Launches?

June 18, 2015

CurrentC Against The Ropes

It is rare for consumers to want a new technology to die, but every now and then a tech emerges that everyone can smell a mile away as being bad for the consumer. One of the clearest examples of this over the past 20 years was Divx. No, Millennials, we are not referring to the video codec, but instead a self destructing DVD developed by now-defunct Circuit City. The $4/disc product was clearly aimed to capitalize on the ignorant and ill-informed.

Last year consumers found a new technology to loath. Called CurrentC, the mobile payment system was designed by a consortium of retailers (MCX) to answer all of their needs and seemingly none of the consumers’. The system was designed from the ground up to minimize hardware investment, increase data capture of the consumer (including personal details, i.e. weight), and reduce processing fees. In case you need a quick refresh, here is how it works.  

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by Doug Parker
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Retail

Mobile Wallet Update: Apple, Google, Samsung, CurrentC

June 17, 2015

Mobile Payments Summary June2015 Samsung Android Apple CurrentC

The march towards making mobile payments part of our normal lives continues at a slow pace. Given expense of the required infrastructure updates, it is not surprising. But the good news for the end user is that things are continuing to improve and move forward.

Both Google and Samsung have announced new / improved mobile payment systems, unimaginatively called Android Pay and Samsung Pay. At Google’s I/O conference the other week, the company detailed their new Android Pay platform, superseding Google Wallet for most mobile payments. While Google Wallet requires a virtual debit card which is refilled, Android Pay works similarly to Apple Pay; Google has worked with credit card issuers to allow the cards to be loaded onto the device and then charges are made anonymously with a tokenized card number. Android Pay is expected to launch this Fall with the Android M update. Having Apple and Google utilize a similar system is great news for the consumer as it will likely push the adoption of NFC terminals at retailers.

Samsung announced their Samsung Pay system this Spring as part of the Galaxy S6 unveiling.  

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by Doug Parker
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