Samsung Pay Mobile Payment Platform Goes Live in India

Samsung's mobile payment platform Samsung Pay has finally launched in India. The service was expected to make its debut in India for weeks now. The company on Monday confirmed to Gadgets 360 that mobile payments platform Samsung Pay was open for Early Access registrations in India, via the official Samsung Pay website.

We tested out the new Samsung Pay feature, and it worked. Samsung has confirmed that in its Early Access state, the mobile payment solution is available with select banks including Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI, and Standard Chartered. Credit and debit cards of all these banks are supported right now, with the exception of SBI, for which only credit cards are supported. Samsung adds that Samsung Pay will be soon supported by American Express and Citi Bank. Additionally, Samsung Pay payment solution also lets users pay via Paytm wallet.

Samsung Pay supports both NFC and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) that allows a user to send a magnetic signal from smartphone to the payment terminal's card reader. The list of compatible devices for Samsung Pay mobile payment solution includes Samsung Galaxy Note5, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016), and Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016).

So, how does one get started? First, users will need to register via this page. Then, they'll need to ensure the Samsung Pay app is installed. If users do not see the app in their app drawer, they will need to ensure their device is on the latest software version, then add then Samsung Account ID via Settings > Accounts > Add Samsung Account. They should then see the Samsung Pay app icon, which will enable them to download and install the app.

Samsung Pay app registration is a one-time process, and it can be done with your Samsung Account ID and password. You can register fingerprint by tapping Use Fingerprint and users can also set up Samsung Pay PIN for payment authentication. During setup, users can opt for Skip and Use Samsung Pay PIN on the verification method page. For adding new cards, tap on Add your Debit/Credit Card which by default launches the camera within the app to auto read card details. It can be also done manually.

For adding Paytm, users will have to add Paytm through Wallet option in Samsung Pay. The company recommends using mobile number to link your existing wallet to Samsung Pay. Additionally, users can also add money to their Paytm wallet via Samsung Pay. To add money, users will have to tap on Wallet on the main screen of Samsung Pay app, and then tap on Add to open the add money page. Interestingly, users can make payments using Paytm on Samsung pay irrespective of having the Paytm app on their smartphone.

For making a payment using Samsung Pay at a store, owners of compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphones will need to launch the Samsung Pay app and then select the card they want to pay with by swiping left or right. Users can then authenticate the payment by verifying their fingerprint (or using their Samsung Pay PIN), and then place the phone near the POS machine or card reader or NFC reader to complete the transaction. In case prompted for a PIN, users may be required to input 4-digit card PIN.

Disclosure: Paytm's parent company One97 is an investor in Gadgets 360.