Samsung introduces new mobile commerce application
Samsung has begun showing off its new Wallet mobile application for its line of smartphones. The company has adopted a strong interest mobile commerce recently, and this interest has helped the company dethrone Apple as the leading provider of mobile devices in the world. Consumers share the enthusiasm for mobile commerce that Samsung has been displaying, demanding new applications that can facilitate mobile payments and make it easier to manage bank accounts and shop online.
Wallet to provide digital storage to consumers
Samsung’s Wallet will act in much the same way that other mobile wallets do. The Wallet will be able to store a wide variety of digital information and content, such as financial data and tickets for concerts or public transport. In this way, the Wallet is very similar to Apple’s Passbook. Unlike the Passbook, the Wallet will allow users to participate in mobile commerce in some way, thanks to the NFC capabilities of Samsung’s latest smartphones.
Wallet to make use of QR codes
While the Wallet will leverage NFC to some degree to open up mobile commerce to consumers, the other aspects of the application will be based on barcodes, specifically QR codes. The Wallet can store mobile coupons, airline tickets, and special offers from loyalty programs that can all be accessed through scanning a QR code. Samsung believes that these codes are a simpler way of providing services to consumers rather than having the Wallet rely entirely on NFC technology.
Wallet may be included in new Galaxy S4
Samsung has already lined up an array of partners that will support the Wallet when it is launched. The company is currently preparing for the launch of the new Galaxy S4, which is expected to be released in spring this year. The Wallet may be made available before the launch of the S4, with current speculation suggesting that the application will be available in a matter of weeks rather than months.
