On the heels of Google’s announcement that it is planning to expand Android Pay’s reach on the mobile web, Samsung this week unveiled its own mobile web agreement and new features for its payment service.
In a Wednesday release, Samsung said it has signed a new global partnership with MasterCard to offer simplified online payments and express checkout via the latter’s Masterpass solution.
The service, which is available in 33 countries, will allow Samsung Pay customers to use saved MasterCard debit or credit cards and shipping information to complete online purchases. Samsung said the partnership also allows users to make purchases from any of their devices, including computers, tablets, and smartphones.
“By partnering with Masterpass in the U.S. and rolling out online payments globally, we will simplify the online transaction experience by eliminating the need for customers to fill out tedious online checkout forms, remember long passwords or fumble for their wallets,” Samsung Pay Vice President and Global General Manager Thomas Ko said.
Masterpass compatibility will kick in at the start of next year, Samsung said.
Beginning in November, Samsung said U.S. users of Samsung Pay will also be able to view deals at nearby stores and use Samsung Pay for in-app payments.
Samsung did not specify what technology it will be using to offer the local deals, but said customers will be able to see discounts nearby and redeem the offers immediately through its new “Deals” feature.
The company said the aforementioned in-app payments will allow users to select Samsung Pay as a payment option at checkout when making a purchase within a merchant app. The feature will initially be available with Velocity, Raise, Fancy, Hello Vino, Wish, and Touch of Modern. Additional merchant apps will be added in the future, Samsung said.
The move to simplify and expand mobile payment options comes as competition heats up in the mobile payments space.
Samsung’s announcement was made just a few days after Google announced a similar mobile web payment partnership with both MasterCard and Visa for its Android Pay service. That integration is also expected to take effect in early 2017.
In June, Apple introduced Apple Pay compatibility for the web via its Safari web browser on Mac. Using the company’s Continuity feature, Apple enabled users to authenticate transactions at checkout using their phone’s fingerprint sensor.
Samsung this week also said it is continuing its Samsung Pay expansion, with plans to add Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand to its roadmap. The additions will make Samsung Pay available in a total of 10 countries by the end of 2016.
Apple Pay is already available in 10 markets, while Android Pay has a market list that currently includes Hong Kong, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore.
